The Rose Line
by Asrella
Summary: A Demon's pact gives Tohma Seguchi powers of foresight, immortality and passionate enslavement, allowing him to bend Eiri, Tatsuha, Ryu and Hiro to his desires. Enter Shuichi hoping to break the spell and free the man he loves. Gothic Romance.
1. Chapter 1

**The Rose Line AU**

**Summary:** A Demon's pact gives Tohma Seguchi powers of foresight, immortality & passionate enslavement, allowing him to bend Eiri, Tatsuha, Hiro & Ryu to his desires. Enter Shuichi hoping to break the spell & free the man he loves. Gothic Romance.**  
**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Gravitation. It's owned by Maki Murakami.

**A/N:** This story was written as a challenge to myself to see if I could do a gothic romance and I actually saw it through. I had an excellent time writing it and I hope you enjoy it!** LIME ALERT!**

**Inside Summary:** At a remote house that is surrounded by roses, a pact with the Demon King allows Tohma of the House of Seguchi, three distinct abilities: the ability of future sight, immortality and the ability to enslave his heart's desire. Tohma Seguchi, has used his abilities to gain both wealth and power for the House of Seguchi as well as the enslaved love and heated touch of his heart's desire, Eiri Uesugi. However, such power comes at a price. Break the rules of the pact, set forth by the Demon King in the form of a poem and lose everything, including Tohma's soul.

Shuichi Shindou, an up and coming singer summoned by Tohma to give a command performance at the house, enters hoping to break the spell and set Eiri, the man whom he loves and Tohma's other passionate captives—Tatsuha, Hiro and Ryuichi, free.

Is there more to Tohma's invitation than meets the eye?

* * *

_Do not cross the line of roses..._

_To the north, by the sea..._

_Lest you lose your prescient sight..._

_And never again the future see..._

* * *

_Do not cross the line of roses..._

_That due south, guards family..._

_Lest you gain your mortal core..._

_And reign immortal nevermore..._

* * *

_Do not cross the line of roses..._

_To the east, beyond the lake..._

_Lest your captured heart break free..._

_And never again their love to take.._.

* * *

_DO NOT CROSS THE WEST ROSE LINE..._

_NOR ANY LEAF UPON ITS TREE..._

_LEST ALL OUR DEALS COME UNDONE..._

_AND PAYMENT COME DUE FOR ETERNITY ..._

* * *

A Demon's gifts are never free…

* * *

**Prologue:**

It was a concert hall--a large, ornately decorated affair with murals of angels and heavenly hosts painted upon the ceiling. Gilded chandeliers and candelabras lit the interior with hundreds of white candles, casting soft, glowing light throughout, illuminating the well-dressed audience that was seated and awaiting the performance.

The opening strains of music began to play and the audience quieted down as the heavy red stage curtains were drawn open.

A large, full-bloomed rose with deep pink petals stood center stage before the orchestral pit. Within the circle of a bright spotlight, the rose lifted its blossom head and sang in a sweet, tenor voice a sad song of love and longing; its emotional vocals punctuated by the gentle swaying of its stem and two large leaves which curled and clasped like hands.

Behind the rose, the stage scenery was that of a high, snow capped mountain range and the distant lights of a city nestled in the valley far below. Superimposed over the mountain scene was the shadow of a compass which didn't point north, but rather west.

Seated in the front row of the audience, in direct line of sight of the rose, was a sword and in the seat to its right, a small, plain gold engagement ring. The sword, unsheathed and sitting upright, had a black blindfold tied around its sharp tip and beside it, the ring sat nestled on a white linen handkerchief which was placed upon the seat cushion.

The rose finished its song and the audience sprang to its feet, clapping and whistling and cheering. Not a single person there had a face…

Tohma awakened with a shuddering start, covered in sweat. He blinked several times and forced his breathing to slow. As he wiped his brow, his eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness of the room.

In the dying firelight, he turned to look at the sleeping figure by his side.

"How interesting," he said softly.

* * *

One month later… 

"He is found, My Lord." The man on bended knee before the desk bowed his head as he addressed Tohma.

Tohma Seguchi sat in a high back leather chair behind a massive, elaborate desk. He sat there staring off into space, gently stroking a small box he had cradled in his arms.

"Do they know?" he asked after a moment.

"Almost assuredly."

"Bring him, then. Mustn't disappoint them."

The man got to his feet and pushed his glasses up on his nose as he smiled.

"As you wish." He checked the time on his pocket watch, then turned and left the room.

Tohma carefully set the box down on the desk.

"I'll be waiting."

At the same time, on the outskirts of the sleeping town below, a covered carriage burned down the cobblestone streets, whipping the horses into a frenzy as it and its two occupants started their furious trek west.

* * *

**Chapter 1: The History Lesson**

"You're a hit!" Suguru was beaming.

"You really think so?" Shuichi smiled back at his friend and manager as he sat before his dressing room mirror.

"Are you serious? You can still hear the applause." They could. Even now after three encores, the loud cheers and whistles could still be heard backstage. "And of course, there are these." Suguru held up a bunch of long stemmed red roses.

"There are others naturally, but these are from HIM!"

Shuichi smiled. "He's sent them every night! What am I going to do with them all?" He looked around the dressing room. Every nook and cranny was covered in flowers.

"We should all be so lucky!" Suguru said. "If this keeps up, I'll have to request a bigger dressing room in your contract!" He rummaged around for a something to put them in. Not finding anything he said, "Tell you what, I'll go find a vase. YOU find space for them!"

"Sure, leave me with the hard job!" Shuichi playfully tossed a towel at his friend as he left the room. When Suguru was gone, he sighed.

It wasn't that he didn't enjoy the attention his suitors gave him. They were all handsome and some of them exceptionally well endowed (in all ways). It's just that he didn't feel for them what most claimed they felt for him. In the back of his mind and in the deep recesses of his dreams, Shuichi felt like someone was waiting for him. It was a feeling that he couldn't explain or even had evidence to give credence to, but somehow, he knew that love had plans for him. He lay awake many a night feeling alone and sad, even when he had a full bed, waiting and longing for those plans. And so far, those plans had only materialized as just a ghost that graced his dreams…a ghost so familiar…

He turned to the mirror to begin taking off his make up when the door opened.

"That was fast," he said not turning around.

"Shuichi Shindou?" An unfamiliar voice addressed him. Shuichi looked up in the mirror.

Two people had entered the room and were standing right behind him. One, a woman with sad brown eyes and long brunette hair peeking through the sides of her traveling cloak's deep hood, stood quietly watching him in the mirror.

As intriguing as she was, it was her companion that caught Shuichi's eye. Caught it and scared it! The companion, a tall man who had bright blonde hair swept up into a messy ponytail that trailed down the back of his waistcoat, stared at him with one intense blue eye—the other was covered by a black eye patch which he wore over his head. Below that covered eye, a deep scar etched its way down his face, almost to his chin. In his hand he held a very large and Shuichi could only assume, very sharp sword.

Shuichi spun around. "What do you want?" His eyes darted back to the sword. If Suguru should come back now…

"We're not here to hurt you." The man sheathed the weapon. "We were unsure if you were alone."

"We need to speak with you," the woman said urgently. "We don't have long."

"Alright," Shuichi said slowly.

The two sat down on a small bench near him. The woman pulled back her hood. "My name is Mika Uesugi and this is—"

"Call me K," the man interrupted. He sat the sheathed sword across his lap and smiled grimly at Shuichi.

"We've traveled a great distance to speak with you and we almost didn't make it in time." Mika looked around the small room nervously.

"In time for what?" Shuichi was still looking at the sword.

"There is a man coming to see you, a man by the name of Sakano. He represents the House of Seguchi. Are you familiar with that name?"

"Seguchi?" Shuichi looked up. "The same Seguchi family that is advisor to the Emperor?"

"This emperor, the emperor before him, the emperor before him and on and on, yes, the same," K said. "The same Seguchi family that owns shipping companies, governs towns, runs ambassadorships to distant lands, forever and infinity. Wealthy and powerful, political and elite, they have their bloody fingers on the pulse of everything." He spat on the floor. "I spit on the name and curse the family!"

"This man, Sakano," Mika said, wresting the conversation back on target, "is coming to invite you to perform for the head of the Seguchi House. In fact, he's on his way here as we speak."

"Ok, so this has what to do with the two of you?" Shuichi's eyes had returned to the sword which K was gripping with whitened knuckles.

"Actually," she replied, "it has more to do with you. What do you know of the House of Seguchi, other than what we've just discussed?"

"Just that. That they're immensely wealthy and very powerful." Shuichi answered very carefully.

"Do you know anything of how they amassed that wealth and power?" Mika pressed him. She'd seen the look in his eyes and knew what he wasn't speaking.

"You mean the pact?" Shuichi rolled his eyes. "If that's what you mean, then I have nothing to say."

"Then you know of it?" she asked.

"Of course I know of it. Who doesn't? It's a tale that's been told for generations."

"Yes, the TALE." Mika spat the word like it was foul tasting. "The TALE, as it were, of how centuries ago, a member of the Seguchi Clan made a bargain with the King of Demons to amass fortune, power and some say immortality in exchange for his soul."

"Yes…what of it?" Shuichi didn't like where this was going. He looked at the door hoping Suguru would hurry.

"A tale that I imagine you know by heart, considering who you are." Mika and K watched him closely.

Shuichi closed his eyes and sighed. Even the name Shindou couldn't mask his familial ties.

"So you know then?" he asked quietly.

"You are a direct descendant of the clan against whom the blood pact with the Demon King was made. You know the story. The Seguchi Clan was a poor family indentured to the Orishii Clan. Jealous of their wealth and power, a Seguchi made the pact and all that was Orishii--money, land and power, became Seguchi. You are descended from the Orishii on your mother's side."

"So? I am a Shindou, not an Orishii and if that's what you're looking for, then you've come to the wrong place. I don't believe in Demon Kings or fairy tales. I believe in what I can see and what I can touch, and I don't believe an old wives' tale counts as either of those." He turned back to the mirror. "If you'll excuse me, I have people waiting for me."

"But it's true!" Mika pressed forward and turned him back to face her by his shoulders. "It's very true! I have seen it with my own eyes, just as K has."

K said nothing. He sat watching Shuichi silently.

"To the east, two days journey from here, is a small town by the sea. It is there overlooking that town, where the head of Seguchi lives. He lives there in a house at the outskirts of town, on a cliff overlooking the sea. A house surrounded by roses…"

"Enough!" Shuichi banged his hands on the table. "I KNOW all about the roses, how the Orishii were famed far and wide for their knowledge and breeding of rare roses. I know that to the east is where the Orishii resided until the "pact" and then, penniless and powerless, they were driven out by the Seguchi. I already know this story!" Shuichi glared at them. "I am SHINDOU not ORISHII. Whatever you've gotten yourselves into has NOTHING TO DO WITH ME!"

Mika swayed and sagged back down on the bench. Tears came and fell, wetting her lap as her head bent down.

"He has my brothers," she said softly. K comforted her while she pulled out a white linen handkerchief to wipe her eyes.

"He's holding my two brothers captive and won't let them go." She took a moment to get herself together.

"I was once engaged to the head of Seguchi House. I thought he loved me. I thought it'd be forever." A short, dark laugh escaped her. "Forever…"

"It was during that time that I found out about the pact and the truth of it. Tohma Seguchi, the head of Seguchi House, was going to kill me after I found out, but my brothers offered themselves in exchange for my life." She wiped her eyes. "That's what he wanted all along. He never loved me. He never wanted me. I suspect he was never even going to kill me. He was only after my brother, Eiri." She sighed. "Poor Tatsuha, he was just unfortunate enough to be my brother as well."

She continued. "I was allowed to leave with my life if my brother, Eiri stayed and Tatsuha wouldn't leave him behind. Now he keeps them both there at the estate for his…amusement."

She looked at Shuichi. "I couldn't leave them there, so I hired the best sword master in all of Japan to get them back. Tohma lives alone save for those he holds captive and a few servants from the town who come at dawn and leave at dusk, so I figured that it would be easy for a sword master such as K to go in and get them out."

K looked at Shuichi. "Obviously it didn't work." He pointed to his covered eye. "I was given this." He ran his finger down the scar. "As well as this for my trouble. And on top of that, he took my Hiroshi and my Ryuichi."

Unlike Mika, his eye didn't hold sadness. It burned with hatred.

"Brothers?" asked Shuichi.

"No. Ryuichi is my ward. He's lived with my family and then with me since his parents were killed in a fire when he was a small boy. And Hiroshi…" the eye closed. "Hiro is my apprentice…and my lover. After I was wounded, both Hiro and Ryu were captured and taken to the Seguchi Estate—as sort of an insult to injury, a punishment for my interference so to speak. They've been there ever since."

"So you see," said Mika, "you're our only hope. He knows us and we can't get anywhere near the place--particularly while he holds the lives of our loved ones in his hands. But you are going to be invited in and…"

"And what?" Shuichi definitely didn't like where this was going. "What is it that you think I can do? I'm a singer, not a fighter!"

"You're Orishii," said K. "And you're invited. Only those with invitation get near the House of Seguchi. I AM a fighter and a damn good one at that. My skill is unmatched in nearly all of Japan and even I couldn't bring my Hiro back. What will bring our families back to us won't be steel or strength. It will be an end to the reign of Seguchi. And that will end the spell."

"Spell?" It just kept getting worse. "What spell?"

Mika answered. "Tohma has an enchantment on my brothers as well as Hiro and Ryuichi. Though the gate to the estate is always open, they can't leave of their own free will."

Shuichi licked his lips. "Ok, let me get this straight. You want me to accept an invitation to sing for the most powerful man in Japan, who comes from the most powerful family in Japan, which has been the most powerful family in Japan for the last several centuries, give or take a year or two--a man who may or may not be in league with the demonic forces of hell and you want me to defeat this man, who couldn't be defeated by the best sword master in all of Japan, and free your families AND if I have time, on the way out, end the spell and the reign of the entire House? Did I leave out anything?"

Shuichi smiled, finally understanding. "Suguru put you up to this didn't he? That's why he's not here right now." Shuichi laughed, relieved. "Good one--you actually had me going! He's a good manager and an even better friend, but we really have to work on his sense of humor!" He turned back toward the mirror. "The eye was a very nice touch by the way."

K grabbed Shuichi by the neck and spun him back around. He lifted the eye patch and shoved his face into Shu's, getting up close and very personal.

"Does this look like a fucking carnival trick!" Shuichi stared wide-eyed and harsh breathed. A ragged, empty socket stared back.

"You have an opportunity to end what has been a plague on our land for longer than anyone can remember and you make jokes!"

Shuichi recoiled. "What do you expect me to do? You show up out of the blue spouting off about spells and demons and hostages and how I'm your only hope to do what apparently God and at least FIVE able bodied men haven't been able to do for how long? And you expect me to do this how?"

Shuichi shook his head. Where the hell was Suguru when he needed him?

"The pact made with the Demon King has limitations." Mika sat up and edged closer to Shuichi. "He can't leave the property. The house is surrounded by roses in all directions, a sign and reminder of the fact that he lives on Orishii land and that Orishii blood was spilled for him to obtain what he has today. He must stay within their boundaries, which he does most carefully. See, as long as the rules of the pact are kept, Tohma is invulnerable and the reign and the enchantment continue. If you could somehow make him break one of the rules, then the pact will be void and the spell will be broken."

She handed him a large envelope. "This contains a copy of the pact set forth by the Demon King himself. I committed it to memory when I found out about it." Mika teared again. "Before he stole my family."

"It also contains a layout of the property," K said. "And here." He unbuttoned his long waistcoat to reveal yet another sword strapped to his thigh and a large dagger tucked into his waistband. He handed the dagger to Shuichi.

"I don't know if it'll help, but take it. At the very least, you could get it to Hiro. If the spell allows him, he'll recognize it and know that you've met with me." He turned to Mika. "We should go. He'll be here any minute. We've already stayed far too long."

Shuichi looked at the dagger. "I don't even know if I'll be invited," he said. "And after this, even if I am, I certainly don't know if I'll accept it!"

K laughed. "You'll be invited. We've been watching Sakano for far too long to think otherwise. As for acceptance, you won't be given a choice in the matter. For whatever reason, Tohma has his eyes on you. And whatever the House of Seguchi wants, the House of Seguchi gets. Go through your Orishii history books and see if I'm right."

They stood and walked to the door, leaving the envelope and the dagger in Shuichi's hands.

"We'll be staying in the village near the estate until we hear from you. Look for us at the Sea Rose Inn on the outskirts at the western edge of the town." K left, his sword back in his hand.

Mika turned with her head down. "Please. I know we're asking much of you. But, you're all we have left. Even if you can't break the spell, please, just let us know if they're alright." She walked out the door.

"I'm begging you." The plea floated softly through the closed door and Shuichi stared at the now empty space where his life had just been turned upside down.

The door opened.

"Guess who I just bumped into!" Suguru was all grins. And all of those grins fell when he saw his friend, pale and anxious at the dressing table.

"Shuichi! What's wrong?" He rushed to the table and set the vase of flowers down. "Tell me!"

Shuichi looked up at his friend. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Shuichi glossed over many of the details while telling Suguru what had happened.

"That's it! We're writing a security clause into your contract!" Suguru gritted his teeth. "Escorts, armed transports, the works!" Shuichi listened to his young manager ramble on about ninja bodyguards and eventually poison darts, food tasters and contract riders requesting maces in every room. Shu let him vent. It was no stopping him when he got like that.

After that, Suguru had insisted on escorting him to his waiting coach. Instead, Shuichi sent his friend off to tell his flower-sending admirer that he would not be joining him that night. Shuichi wasn't sure what the rest of the night held in store—hopefully nothing. But on the chance something was about to happen, he didn't want to involve anyone else in this bizarre turn of events. Suguru eventually complied, but only on the promise that Shuichi would wait for him inside the coach and that the two of them would leave together.

And so it was that he walked alone, past a few late hanging well wishers and fans to his waiting coach in front of the theater. Deep in thought he waited while the coachman got down to open the door.

"Mr. Shuichi Shindou?" a voice asked softly behind him.

Shuichi turned around to see a slight, dark haired man wearing a long dark travel coat standing there. The man smiled and held forth a bunch of long stemmed red roses.

"My name is Sakano and I've come a long way to meet you, Sir." Still smiling he pushed up his glasses.

"I represent the House of Seguchi and I need to speak with you on an urgent matter."

* * *

**End Chapter 1: The History Lesson**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: The House of Seguchi**

* * *

The coach had been traveling at breakneck speed for the past day and a half. Shuichi's ass and his head were killing him. Stopping only long enough to briefly rest at an inn and a couple of stops to both eat and rest the horses, Shuichi and Sakano made excellent time by traveling round the clock. 

About ten miles into the journey, Shuichi had asked what the big hurry was only to have Sakano respond with a smile saying—

"My Lord is anxious to meet you."

That's the most Sakano would say. They made the rest of the journey in almost complete silence with an occasional bit of general conversation that consisted of Shuichi asking questions and Sakano answering them with the briefest reply he could get away with. Most of the time, Sakano just watched Shuichi openly with dark penetrating eyes and a small smile on his face--something that made Shuichi thoroughly uneasy.

And on the rare occasion when he wasn't watching Shu, Sakano was checking their progress on one of his maps or looking behind the coach as if he was expecting company. This made Shuichi even more uneasy. What or rather WHO was he looking for? If they were expecting trouble, Shuichi wanted to know about it. He had tried asking, but Sakano had waved his questions away with a smile and told him not to worry. Then he'd gone back to watching Shuichi, which of course made him worry even more.

And if the reckless speed and the sneaking suspicion that they were being followed weren't peculiar enough, Sakano also had the curious habit of frequently looking at a gold pocket watch that he kept in his hand. When he saw Shuichi's puzzled look he had simply replied, "I like to keep track of the time."

During the course of the trip, time was something Shuichi had plenty of to mull over the series of events that had brought him to this place.

After turning around to find Sakano standing behind him the night of the concert, Shuichi had been led across the street by the arm to a black, lushly appointed coach with a set of four matched black horses that had stood waiting for them. The coach door bore the unmistakable crest of Seguchi House—a deep red lion rearing on its hind legs against a yellow field.

Sakano had gently but firmly helped Shuichi into the coach by way of not so subtle "invitation."

Once inside, Sakano had explained that his employer, Tohma Seguchi, head of the House of Seguchi, had heard many wonderful things about Shuichi's performances and had sent him, his agent, with an invitation for a private performance at his estate in the east. A performance for which he would be handsomely compensated added Sakano as if the decision hadn't already been made for Shuichi.

Stopping only long enough to give a rapidly scribbled note for Suguru to his coach driver and to drop by the hotel for a few hastily packed bags, Shuichi hadn't been given time to even think about declining, even if he had been inclined to do so.

_And how could I have possibly done that?_ Shuichi wondered. _In spite of what I said to Mika and K about not accepting, everyone knows, if the head of the House of Seguchi--advisor to a line of emperors that stretches back as far as anyone living or recently deceased can remember asks you to do something, you ask what time it needs to be done by and how often it needs to be done thereafter. And this is regardless of whether two complete lunatics request your compliance before the actual invitation or not! _

Shuichi thought about Mika and K and wondered if they'd been telling the truth. Even now with the dagger and the envelope they'd given him tucked among his bags and traveling at lightning speed in a luxurious coach that bore the Seguchi House crest, he still had problems believing their story. Spells and Demon Kings and a house by the sea surrounded by roses…

He fell asleep thinking about his predicament and as he dreamed, familiar images flashed before him.

A garden of roses. A full moon in a starry night sky. And a voice calling him.

"Shuichi…Shuichi…I love you Shuichi…"

"Mr. Shindou? Mr. Shindou?" A hand on his shoulder startled Shuichi out of sleep.

"Are you alright?" Sakano was watching him closely.

Shuichi rubbed his eyes. "Yes. Just a dream." He yawned and looked out the window at the quaint two story buildings they were passing.

Sakano checked the time. "We're almost there. This is the sea port town that sits just to the west of the estate." Sakano sat back into his seat and continued to watch Shuichi.

Shuichi ignored him and watched the rolling scenery. A sign flashed by. _The Sea Rose Inn!_ Shuichi gasped.

"Something wrong?" asked Sakano. There was a hidden edge to his voice.

"No." Shuichi covered himself. "No. Uhh… I guess I'm just a little nervous about meeting someone as illustrious as the head of the Seguchi House."

"There's no need to be nervous," Sakano replied. "Mr. Tohma Seguchi is a brilliant man. Cunning and smart, it is he that has promoted the Seguchi name the most. Yet, despite his position of power, he is also gentle and generous by nature." Sakano smiled. "He may seem a little distant at first, a hazard of his position, but once he meets you, I'm sure he'll love you."

Shuichi relaxed a little.

"And once that happens, I can absolutely guarantee that you will love him."

Sakano's ever-present smile did nothing to mask the edge to his voice or alleviate the hint of something ominous in the words he said. The statement hung heavily in the air as they rode on.

Shuichi went back to worrying.

The coach passed through the eastern gate of the town and left it behind. They wound their way up a road that gradually became steeper and a few minutes later Shuichi found himself looking at a massive wrought iron gate. The gate, which was open, was black and bore the same image as that on the coach--a lion rearing on its hind legs with something that Shuichi couldn't make out in its mouth.

"…_Though the gate to the estate is always open, they can't leave of their own free will…"_ Mika's words echoed through his mind.

Just past the gate stood a large tree. The tree was tall and leafy and running just in front of that tree and on either side of the gate entrance was a line of beautiful rose bushes with deep pink petals. Their heady fragrance wafted through the air. Shuichi relaxed as the perfume soothed him. Relaxed that is until he noticed something odd about the tree. As they passed, he saw a thick rope hanging from one of the branches. It swayed in the slight breeze and Shuichi could see that it was old and worn and that the end of the rope was frayed as if it had been cut…

Looking at that rope made him feel cold. Shuichi shivered in the warm afternoon breeze. He suddenly felt dizzy and nauseous. He couldn't breathe. He closed his eyes and fought the darkness that was closing in around him, trying not to panic. The coach continued on and a few seconds later, as quickly as it had come, the feeling passed.

Shuichi calmed and breathed a sigh of relief. He added his health to the growing list of his recent worries.

The coach continued for another few minutes uphill before cresting and coming into view of a massive house. They followed a stone path around to the front of the house where the coach finally came to a stop.

Sakano jumped out and offered his hand back to Shuichi to help him down. Shuichi took it gratefully, not sure if his knees would support him after being abused for so long.

Sakano then left momentarily to speak with the driver while Shuichi wobbled a bit, trying to get his land legs back. He held onto the coach door for support, taking in the salt in the breeze and the sound of the sea nearby.

He looked up at the house. A huge wood and stone structure, the house boasted three stories. It was elegantly built, yet there was something cold about it. Its appointments were austere and the roof was a bit too steep. Additionally, no attempt at decoration, fauna or welcoming adornments lent a no nonsense atmosphere about the place.

Shuichi let his eyes slip down to the third floor and shielded them from the glare of bright afternoon sunlight. He squinted. There was someone watching him. The light was making it difficult to see, but there was definitely someone there watching.

Shuichi smiled and waved. The figure didn't wave back.

"Mr. Shindou?" Sakano was suddenly standing beside Shuichi again. "Shall we?" He swept his hand toward the entrance.

"Yes, thank you." Shuichi walked toward the house. He looked back up at the window. The figure was gone.

The inside of the house was very quiet. So quiet in fact that the loud ticking of an unseen clock could be heard from somewhere in the back. That and their footsteps echoing loudly across the highly polished wood floor were the only sounds Shuichi could hear.

The house was also empty. No one, not a servant, not a family member, not a single body save Sakano and Shuichi could be seen. This immediately struck him as odd. Such an important man as the head of Seguchi House should have a household full of retainers and important people and hangers on, not to mention wait staff. The house of the Emperor's Right Hand should bustle and crackle with life and activity. Instead it was mausoleum quiet. And unsettling.

"…_Tohma lives alone save for those he holds captive and a few servants from the town who come at dawn and leave at dusk…"_

Two for two, Shu thought. First the gate and now the empty house. What else had Mika and K said that was also true? Shuichi's worry factor increased by ten.

Beyond the cavernous foyer was a large, opulently furnished open area. Plush couches and exquisite tables sat meticulously arranged before the widest staircase Shuichi had ever seen. Flanked on either side by curling banisters, the wooden stairs were carpeted with a centrally placed oriental runner that led up to the first landing. It was there that Shuichi saw the clock.

Massive and overbearing, the gothic looking grandfather style clock stood on the landing in front of a large stained glass window that reminded Shuichi of one he'd seen in a European style cathedral once. Dark and foreboding with black intricately carved wood and wicked looking twisted spires that reached toward the ceiling, the clock cast a deep shadow across the stairs below it and the floor below them, breaking up the red and gold fractals painted there by the backlit colored glass panes. And the tick, tick, tick of its enormous pendulum swung back and forth with icy precision, watching them like a great brass eye.

The clock cast shadow swallowed Shuichi utterly as he stood there.

"This way, Mr. Shindou," Sakano called. Shuichi hurried to catch up.

Sakano quickly led Shuichi past the stairs and down a hallway. Shuichi, almost jogging to keep up, nearly ran into the back of Sakano when he stopped abruptly outside the door at the end of the corridor.

Sakano gave him a look then knocked.

"Come in," a voice called softly from beyond.

Sakano opened the door and ushered Shuichi inside.

"My Lord, may I present Mr. Shuichi Shindou." Sakano smiled wryly and bowed his head as he addressed the head of Seguchi House.

"Mr. Shindou, the House of Seguchi is honored by your presence. Please come in."

Shuichi stepped forward. Tohma Seguchi, head of the House of Seguchi sat directly before him in a high back leather chair, behind a massive and elaborate desk. He sat there like royalty, his fair hair and pale skin glowing softly in the streaming afternoon light.

Shuichi bowed deeply. "No, Sir, the honor is mine. An invitation to perform for the House of Seguchi is an enormous honor and I would like to thank you for the opportunity." He looked up. "I will do my best."

Tohma smiled. It lit up his entire face and made his large eyes shine with pleasure.

"I'm sure you will. The House of Seguchi--I, am pleased that you accepted my invitation. I realize that it was rather last minute and abrupt, but I trust my dear Mr. Sakano wasn't overly persuasive?"

"Oh no," Shuichi answered quickly, "I was honored to accept."

"That's good," Tohma replied. "Mr. Sakano has been known to be a bit _insistent_ in his dealings. I trust you had a pleasant journey here, then?"

Tohma's eyes slid to Sakano who was still standing by the door.

"Yes, uneventful," came the reply. "No unexpected delays at all." Sakano smiled. "We made excellent time."

"Well done, Mr. Sakano. Would you please see that Mr. Shindou's bags are sent to his room?"

"As you wish." Sakano checked his pocket watch, bowed to Shuichi and left the room with that wry smile on his face. Shuichi couldn't help but feel that there was more said in that exchange than was actually spoken.

"Please sit down, Mr. Shindou. You must be exhausted after your trip."

"Thank you. I am a bit tired." Shuichi sat down gratefully in one of the two chairs arranged before the desk.

"You're being very kind. I know how Mr. Sakano operates and it's a wonder you can walk at all with the way I am sure he abused the coach and the horses getting you here. He means well, but the dear is very preoccupied with time as you may have noticed." Tohma spoke softly in a whispery voice, carefully pronouncing each word with a slow, hypnotic rhythm. It set Shuichi at ease, who, with all that'd happened, hadn't been sure what to expect.

Tohma gestured toward a liquor cabinet to Shuichi's right.

"May I offer you refreshment?"

He had long slender fingers, one of which was adorned with a simple gold band. A wedding band, Shuichi thought as he realized it was on his left hand. The ring gleamed in the afternoon light as it peeked out from the long lace sleeve that cuffed Tohma's dark blue waistcoat.

"Water, please, if it's not too much trouble."

"No trouble at all." Tohma stood. He was a lot taller than Shuichi had thought. He had seemed a lot smaller when surrounded by his huge desk and chair.

Tohma's gait was a stately one as he crossed the room to the cabinet and poured Shuichi's drink.

"You may be wondering why I've summoned you here with such urgency."

"Yes, I did wonder."

Tohma turned and gave Shuichi a heavy cut crystal glass filled with water.

"I have important guests coming on Saturday and would like you to perform for them. These are very important members of the Emperor's personal advisory team as well as many members of his personal staff. They will be accompanied by high ranking members of Seguchi House as well." Tohma gazed down at Shuichi with large, deep eyes.

"Of course, that's not my only reason. I was hoping that you would spend a few days here with us at Seguchi House and consent to giving us a few private concerts before the arrival of my guests." His never wandering gaze continued.

"I have some houseguests that I believe are quite bored with my company. You see, they've been here some time and I'm usually busy with business matters and cannot spend as much time with them as I would like. I was hoping that you could alleviate some of their tedium. They're quite lovely, my guests, and I am sure you would get along well with them." Tohma leaned closer. "You would be handsomely compensated for your time and performances, of course."

Shuichi looked back into those eyes. He felt like they were looking for something. Probing, questing, drinking in everything.

"I would be honored to meet your guests, although I am sure you exaggerate regarding their boredom of your company." Shuichi smiled. "I cannot guarantee that my company will be sufficient to relieve your guests of any tedium they might feel."

"Oh no." Tohma moved in closer still. "I can assure you that you will be perfect." And closer still. "When I first heard of your sweet voice and your astonishing performances, I knew right away that you were just what we all needed—that you were…just what I was looking for."

Shuichi felt like he was losing himself within the deep blue depths of Tohma's eyes. Tohma stopped with his head just a breath away from Shu's…

Shuichi felt his heart begin to race.

A knock came at the door and Sakano stepped inside. "Mr. Shindou's bags have been taken to his room. Do you require anything else?"

The interruption broke the flow.

"Yes, please stay. We have some business matters to discuss once Mr. Shindou is settled in." Tohma moved back to his desk and sat down.

"How do you normally handle the business arrangements for your services, Mr. Shindou?" asked Tohma.

"My manager, Suguru Fujisaki, usually handles that sort of thing. I'm afraid I have no head for business." Shuichi blushed. "I'm also afraid that he doesn't know how long I'm going to be here. I assumed that this would only be for a few nights, not until the end of the weekend and I'm afraid I have been booked for another engagement."

"Oh my, this is a conflict, isn't it?" Tohma sat back and frowned while he absently stroked a small red box that he'd picked up from his desk. Sakano said nothing.

"No, not at all," Shuichi said quickly. "If I could just get word of your request and a copy of my contract to Fujisaki, I am sure he can work something out and if he can't, maybe I could leave for my booked engagement in a few days and then come back for your guests on the weekend?"

"Contract?"

Shuichi blushed. "Yes, my manager usually handles the contracts. He insists that a one be drawn for each performance so that there are no miscommunications and everyone understands what's expected of them."

Tohma looked at him blankly.

Shuichi realized how that must sound and quickly made a move to make amends. "It's not that anyone is questioning the word of the honorable House of Seguchi or anything. It's just something that Fujisaki takes care of. He says I've no head for business and he's right actually, I'm terrible at it, but I'm sure for the House of Seguchi, he'd be willing to forgo…"

"Oh dear! I certainly don't mean to cause you trouble, Mr. Shindou." Tohma interrupted with a smile. "A contract is a fine idea. It's something I should have thought of myself. Please, think nothing of it—your manager, Mr. Fujisaki, sounds like a man after my own heart, taking care of his interests in such an efficient manner. A written contract really is the only way to be sure of what one is getting themselves into."

"Thank you." Shuichi bowed. "I am sorry for the trouble. I should have thought to bring one of my own. If you could include everything you've just said, that would make my manager extremely happy and I would be grateful. And relieved." Shuichi smiled shyly. "I really have no talent for this sort of thing. Fujisaki tells me that all the time. Every day in fact."

Tohma laughed and placed the small box in a desk drawer. He took out a piece of paper and began writing.

"No trouble at all. I'm sorry Mr. Fujisaki is not here to witness this, but hopefully he will overlook it just this once?"

He looked over at Sakano. "Mr. Sakano, will you act as witness to this transaction?"

"Certainly, My Lord." Sakano came forward to stand at the back of Shuichi's chair.

"I hope you find it to your satisfaction?" Tohma handed the paper to Shuichi who tried very hard not to let his mouth drop open when he saw the amount Tohma was offering him for a few days work and a weekend performance. It was more than he made in a month of back-to-back concerts! Suguru was going to kill himself with happiness.

"I would hate for you to lose out on your booked engagement because of me," said Tohma, "so as you've requested, I've included a statement that if you need to leave before my guests arrive that would be fine. And of course, you'll be compensated for your time and travel to and from here. Hopefully this won't cause your manager any consternation."

Consternation was Fujisaki's middle name, but instead of saying so Shuichi closed his mouth and tried not to drool over the money he was going to make.

"Is everything satisfactory then?" asked Tohma.

"Yes, quite. Thank you for your generosity."

"I'm sure I'll get my money's worth." Tohma handed Shuichi a quill for him to sign the contract and when Shu was done, he signed it too.

"Mr. Sakano, once we've finished our business this evening, would you be so good as to messenger this to Mr. Fujisaki?"

"As you wish, My Lord."

"Will it get there in time?" asked Shuichi. He counted the days to Saturday and it didn't leave much room for a two day journey there and another one back again. His engagement was at the end of the week.

"Yes, Mr. Shindou," Sakano said, "Seguchi House messengers are extremely fleet. Like me, they have an appreciation for timeliness. I can assure that your manager will receive this with more than enough time to spare to send back a haste reply."

"Well, I'm glad that's all settled." Tohma smiled. "I'm sure you're exhausted after your trip and would like to rest before dinner, which will be served at 7 sharp. Mr. Sakano, would you be so kind as to show Mr. Shindou to his room?"

"Certainly, My Lord."

"I'm very glad that you have come, Mr. Shindou." Tohma stood and shook Shuichi's hand, probing him with that look again. Shuichi felt a little faint. The feeling increased when Tohma suddenly squeezed Shu's hand and pulled him over the desk toward him. He gazed at Shuichi for what seemed like an eternity.

"Welcome to the House of Seguchi."

* * *

Sakano closed the door behind him. 

"Is he in his room?"

"Yes, My Lord." Sakano bowed and sat in the chair Shuichi had occupied just minutes earlier.

"My Lord, are you sure it's him?" Sakano watched Tohma closely.

Tohma leaned back in his chair, absently stroking the small box which he had out on the desk once again.

"Oh yes," he replied softly, staring off into space. "That hair, those eyes. I would recognize him anywhere." He stroked the box. "I would recognize him any time."

"I'm not sure his health is up to par. He became ill when we passed the gate," Sakano informed him. "It passed soon after, but he still looked quite pale."

"Really? Very interesting. And you're sure they made contact?"

"Yes. I observed them leaving a few minutes before I myself spoke with him. There's no doubt they've returned and are waiting nearby to hear from him." Sakano checked the time. "What do you intend to do?"

Tohma thought for a moment. "It's been a long time since we've had a guest in this house and I understand that he truly is a talented vocalist."

"Very sweet, My Lord."

Tohma smiled. "Ahh, then we shall make our little _songbird_ feel welcome and hear him sing."

"And the others, My Lord?"

"I'm sure they will enjoy hearing such sweet music as well. You know, Hiroshi is actually an accomplished musician. He performed with a concert house orchestra in his city before he became acquainted with our cycloptic friend. Perhaps I will have him accompany Mr. Shindou's performances."

"Do you think that is wise, My Lord?"

"I've already had the 'talk' with everyone. There will be no miscommunications and everyone understands what is expected of them," he said sarcastically, mimicking Shuichi's embarrassed statement. He continued to stroke the box gently.

"Yes, I see no reason why we all shouldn't enjoy Mr. Shindou's considerable talents."

"And Eiri, My Lord?"

Tohma snapped back to the present and looked down at the box. It was small, rectangular and deep red in color with gold markings etched across the top and around the sides.

"With Eiri…we shall see, Mr. Sakano. We shall see…"

* * *

**End. Chapter 2: The House of Seguchi**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: The First Night's Concert**

**

* * *

**

"Shuichi…Shuichi…I love you Shuichi…" A shower of rose petals drifted down on him from a starry night sky filled with a large full moon.

Shuichi opened his eyes. He had been dreaming again and again he'd awakened just as he was about to see the figure shrouded in mist coming toward him. The figure that had uttered those wonderful words. The figure that loved him. Tattered images of a moonlit night, a garden full of roses and his mysterious lover faded into the gray haze of wakefulness.

Shuichi sighed. He'd been having that dream his entire life and still he felt disappointment whenever he woke before seeing the face of his ghost lover. Usually there was someone in his bed waiting to take the place of that unreal entity; someone all too willing to play the part, but now, here, in this huge, quiet house and in this large, empty bed, there was no one to comfort him, no one to hold him and no one to kiss away his loneliness.

A gentle chime from the fireplace mantle clock pierced his post dream anxiety and pulled him back to the present. Seven o'clock! Shuichi bolted upright. It was time for dinner and he hadn't even dressed yet!

Scrambling out of bed, he lit his night table lamp and ran to the armoire where his bags had been stored. He threw open the doors and gasped. All of his clothes had been neatly folded and placed on the shelf or hung. Someone had opened his luggage! His thoughts immediately flew to the envelope and the dagger he'd tucked away in his music case. If someone had opened it and seen the dagger…

Shu dug frantically through the armoire until he found the case. He tore it open to find the contents still intact, just the way he'd left them--with his sheet music and lyrics book covering the suspect items. He leafed through the sheets of music and discovered they were still in the order he'd left them. So, either no one had disturbed the contents of the case or they'd been very careful about it. Beneath the music, the dagger and the envelope sat at the bottom of the case. He looked at them and a knot formed in the pit of his stomach.

"…_I'm begging you…"_

Shuichi brushed the echoing plea out of his mind and stowed the case and its illicit items under the bed. Then he grabbed that evening's attire, ran with them to the water closet and quickly refreshed himself and dressed. Raking a hand through his unruly hair and tugging on his boots, he stopped before a cheval mirror and checked his reflection.

Messy pink hair, huge violet eyes, porcelain skin with blush pink lips and a small body now encased in a dark violet waistcoat, white breeches and black knee boots. He frowned. He looked like a milkmaid in drag.

"It'll have to do," he told his reflection.

He dashed to the door and flew through it, running smack into something solid that was standing there.

"Oh!" Shuichi bounced backward against the wall. A hand reached out to steady him.

"Are you alright?"

Shuichi rubbed his smarting forehead. "I should be asking you that. I just tried to kill you with my big head!"

A soft laugh drew his eyes upward. Looking down at him was a tall redhead with kind eyes that were regarding him with amusement.

"It's not that big," he replied. "If I look fast, I can see practically all of it in one glance!"

Shuichi realized the man was joking with him and relaxed. He took the man's offered hand and righted himself again.

"I'm Hiroshi Nakano—Hiro for short. You must be Mr. Shindou?"

"…_my apprentice…and my lover…"_

Shuichi tried to cover his surprise. "Yes, please call me Shuichi."

"Alright, Shuichi. Tohma sent me to find you. Everyone is already waiting in the dining hall for you."

Shu blushed. "Oh, I'm sorry for causing everyone to wait. I guess I was more tired than I thought. I fell asleep as soon as I got to my room." They walked down the long lit corridor and around a bend toward the stairs.

"I'm glad he sent an escort though. I doubt I would have ever found my way there and if you're waiting on me to begin dining, I'm certain you all would have starved before I even found the stairs!"

Hiro laughed again, this time loudly.

"This place does take some getting used to. But don't worry. You'll find your way around soon enough and if you get lost, just keep yelling. Someone will come find you…eventually."

Shuichi laughed. "Thanks…I think."

The two walked down the stairs in amiable silence and Shu took the chance to casually peruse his escort.

Hiro was tall and lean and had long, dark red hair that was tied into a ponytail at his nape with a black ribbon, leaving messy bangs to cover his dark eyes. A small smile still played at his lips and he generated an aura of joviality. Dressed in a black waistcoat, cream-colored breeches and shiny black knee boots, he was an impressive looking man.

_He looks about the same age as me,_ Shu thought. He tried, but couldn't picture him and the scary looking K together as a loving couple.

They reached the clock landing.

"So, how long have you been a guest here?" asked Shu.

"Two months, if I remember correctly." The smile left his lips. Shuichi saw a shadow cross the man's face. Hiro glanced and saw Shuichi watching him.

He smiled again. "Every day is just so much fun that it's easy to lose track!"

They reached the main floor. "Tohma is a gracious host and there's so much to do here. Horseback riding, swimming, fishing…I could go on and on." He continued to smile (a little forcefully Shuichi thought) and led Shu past the furnished open area and down a hall that Sakano had led him past earlier that afternoon.

"Every day is an adventure here." Hiro stopped in front of a set of large, paneled wooden doors.

"Here we are." He reached to open the doors and paused.

"Thank you," he said quietly to Shu.

"For what?" Shuichi saw something flicker in Hiro's eyes.

"For making me laugh. That's the first good laugh I've had in a long time."

Shuichi smiled. "Anytime I can head butt you, let me know." He winked at Hiro. "I'm your man."

Hiro smiled back and this time it didn't seem forced. He opened the doors.

The dining hall was just as Shuichi had imagined it. Large and spacious with dark wood paneling throughout. A brilliant crystal chandelier, floor candelabras and a huge fireplace lit the room. In the center of the room, beneath the chandelier, was a long, elegant, black wood table that could easily seat 50—the perfect thing for seating advisors to the Emperor and ambassadors from distant lands. Shuichi could imagine all kinds of feasts and important business taking place at that table. At the moment, however, the table only had three occupants seated at one corner.

Hiro led Shu across the room to the occupied end.

"Look what I found lost in the wilderness."

"My apologies for not sending an escort sooner, Mr. Shindou. My business with Mr. Sakano took longer than expected and I lost track of the time." Tohma, seated at the head of the table, gestured Shuichi to a seat at his left beside a brown haired young man in a light blue waistcoat. "Please, join us."

Shuichi sat down and Hiro sat opposite him next to another young man who had dark hair and was wearing a tan waistcoat.

"I believe introductions are in order, yes?" asked Tohma, looking around the table. "You've already met Hiro. Beside him is Tatsuha Uesugi."

Tatsuha, the dark haired young man in the tan waistcoat smiled and nodded at Shuichi. Though he seemed even younger than Hiro, his age did nothing to diminish the striking good looks he had in spades. Darkly handsome with a crooked, mischievous smile, Shuichi could easily see him surrounded by swooning women and enjoying every minute of it. He was going to be hell on the female populace when he got older--if he wasn't already, Shuichi thought. And if he wasn't careful, the male populace as well!

"Pleased to meet you."

Uesugi, Shuichi thought. He looked at Tatsuha again and this time, could clearly see the resemblance to Mika. There was no doubt that the two were related. Shuichi's heart sank. Meeting everyone was turning out to be three for three.

"And to your right," Tohma was saying—

"I'm Ryuichi Sakuma!" The man next to Shu grinned broadly and took Shu's hand, pumping it vigorously.

"Can I call you Shu, or Shuie or maybe Shu-chan for short? We're going to be good friends from now on!"

Shuichi couldn't help but grin back. The man's large, clear blue eyes sparkled with open honesty and enthusiastic good naturedness.

"Sure, call me whatever you want. I hope we can be good friends too." Shuichi meant it. There was something about this man's happy presence that did a lot to lift the heavy oppression he'd felt since entering the house that afternoon. Looking at Ryuichi's beautiful face was like looking at the sun after a storm.

"Can I call you Ryu?'

"Sure! I'd like that." Ryu turned to Tohma. "I like him!"

Tohma tussled Ryu's hair. "I was sure you would. I think the two of you will get along well together."

Shuichi smiled at all of them. "I'm pleased to meet you all." He noticed that no extra place settings had been laid out.

"Won't your wife be joining us?" he asked.

Tohma looked at him. "Wife?"

Shuichi blushed. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry. It's just that I noticed you wear a wedding ring and I assumed…" He bowed his head. "Forgive my inquisitiveness."

Tohma held up his hands. "Please, please, nothing to forgive. Anyone else would have made the same assumption." He fingered the gold band on his left hand. "I don't have a wife. This is a symbol of the bond I share with my companion, Eiri—Eiri Uesugi."

"Uesugi?" I wonder if I could pray that the name is a coincidence and nothing that Mika and K said is true after all, Shuichi wondered to himself.

"Yes, he's my brother," answered Tatsuha, shattering Shu's farfetched hope.

"He's Tatsuha's older brother. I hope my living arrangements aren't a problem for you?" Tohma eyed Shuichi carefully.

"No, no!" Shuichi was quick to set him at ease. "I think it's wonderful that two people can share a love that tradition and convention lie down for. It's not really that uncommon though, is it?" Shu shook his head. "No, we should all be so lucky to find such a person to share our lives with."

"Forgive my boldness, but do you have a companion?" asked Tohma.

Shuichi smiled somewhat sadly as he remembered his dream. "No, I don't. I have several suitors which is a condition of being a performer more than anything else, but no one that I can truly call my own." He sighed. "It feels like I've been looking forever for that someone who is waiting for me."

Shuichi looked at the table, missing Tohma's quiet expression. Then he brightened. "But I can't give up, can I? Even if it takes until the end of time, I'll find them. And then when I do find them, I'll head butt them! That's how I say hello to everyone I like!"

Hiro laughed lightening the mood.

"Am I missing something?" asked Tatsuha

"Just a couple of cracked ribs. Nothing important." Hiro winked at Shu.

"Well, Mr. Shindou, I have absolutely no doubt of your commitment to finding your true love. They say everyone has someone destined for them and I am certain that you do as well." He raised his wine glass.

"To destined love!"

"Here, here!" Everyone took a sip of their sweet mulled wine.

"Unfortunately, my destined love is feeling under the weather this evening and won't be joining us."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Shuichi said.

"Don't worry, Mr. Shindou. I am sure you'll meet him before you leave. Don't be offended though if when you see him, he doesn't say much. He's a bit shy around strangers."

"That's ok," Shu replied, "I can talk enough for the both of us and everyone here too!"

Everyone laughed and leaving Shu feeling even more at ease.

"In the meantime, please." Tohma pointed to the covered dishes that were set before them. "We don't stand on ceremony here, so please help yourself. The servants head back to the town at sunset, so we're left to fend for ourselves, I'm afraid."

"That's interesting," Shuichi said, helping himself to some rice. "I would have thought a place as important as this would have round the clock servants."

"I would," replied Tohma, "except that I can't get any help to stay the night. They're all terribly superstitious of this place, what with my being in league with demons and all."

Shuichi choked. "Demons?"

Tohma smiled at him over his glass. "Surely you've heard about the House of Seguchi pact with the King of Demons?"

"Well…I…" Shuichi was suddenly finding it hard to breathe.

"Oh yes," Tohma continued, "my family and the devil go way back. In fact, I've invited him to dinner here tonight just to meet you. And there he is!"

"Oh My God!" Shuichi's hair stood on end and he whipped around to look behind him.

There was no one there.

"That trick works every single time!" Tohma killed himself laughing, doubling over and holding his sides. "Oh! Mr. Shindou, you should have seen your face!" He hit the table hard, causing his dinnerware to jump.

Ryuichi laughed loudly. "Are you still scared Shu? Don't worry, I'll protect you!"

Shuichi blushed furiously. The rest of the table joined in and even he had to admit it was pretty funny and laughed as well. The knot he'd had in his chest since coming to the House of Seguchi disappeared and for the first time since arriving, Shu felt completely at ease.

They continued the rest of the meal in friendly conversation with the occasional jab at Shu's gullibility. Shuichi had a good time.

* * *

After dinner the group took their wine into the drawing room, located just across the hall from where they had dined.

The drawing room was the coziest Shuichi had seen yet in the house. While still large, the room had plush couch seating that was arranged in two sections--one grouped closely together meant to promote conversation and the other in a semi-circle around a large grand piano that was situated by one of the tall domed windows that lined one wall of the room. The room also included a large fireplace which had been lit and was burning brightly. Over the mantle was the House of Seguchi crest in all its glory. Mounted above two crossed swords, a shield contained a deep red lion rearing on its hind legs against a deep yellow field. Shuichi looked closer and found that the object that he hadn't been able to make out in the lion's mouth was a single white rose.

"Ah, I see you admiring the family standard." Seguchi came up behind him.

"Yes, it's quite…" Shuichi searched for a flattering word and came up with one from his trashy romance novel vocabulary "…regal." While it did have a certain royal bearing, the rose in the lion's mouth made him uncomfortable. Despite what he'd said to Mika and K, though he might not acknowledge the fact that he was Orishii, he was nonetheless and the stories, which he still thought were just that--stories, didn't go a long way to encouraging him to promote his family heritage.

"Yes, it is," agreed Seguchi, pleased. "Notice the colors? The burgundy, the gold and the white? Those are the same colors of roses that can be found on the property. Legend has it that those are the colors of roses the Orishii were famed for breeding. Did you know that the Orishii of legend were said to be master horticulturalists?"

"Yes, I believe it's mentioned in the old wives tale you were talking about in the dining room." Shuichi was beginning to squirm.

"Yes, that's correct. Because of that tale, the House of Seguchi adopted the colors as our own. Kind of encouraging the mystique, you might say. No press is bad press, the saying goes, and the legend, while it does have its drawbacks, has gone a long way to helping the Seguchi family establish their position in the world today. I guess the saying is true then, wouldn't you agree?"

"Yes," replied Shuichi, "it would certainly seem that way." He was beginning to sweat.

"Oh my, are you feeling alright?" Tohma noticed the beads of perspiration peppering Shu's face. "Let's move away from the fireplace. While it may be almost summer, the evenings are still terribly cool and we still light the fireplaces at night."

Tohma led Shuichi over to the couches by the piano where the others were already seated. Hiro sat on a couch alone and Ryu and Tatsuha sat together. Ryu was smiling at him and blinking sleepily.

"Will you sing us a song, Shu?"

"A marvelous idea. Won't you grace us with a song, Mr. Shindou? If you're not too tired that is."

"No, I'd be delighted to." Shuichi was grateful for the change of conversation. At least if he were singing he wouldn't have to think about the legend, or K and Mika.

"Let me just run and get my music book from my room."

Hiro stood. "Would you like me to go with you?"

"Oh no, I think I can find it," Shu said. "If I'm not back in a few minutes, I'm sure someone will come looking for me."

Hiro sat back down. "Yes…eventually."

Shuichi hoped he was kidding. He left the room and backtracked his way back to the staircase which he bounded up to the second floor. After a second's hesitation, he chose the correct hall and found himself at his bedroom door. Going inside, he quickly retrieved his music case from beneath the bed and pulled out his music books. After checking to make sure the envelope and the dagger were still there, he returned the case to its hiding place and left the room.

The feeling struck him immediately after he closed the door. Someone was watching him! He spun around to the left toward the staircase. Nothing. Whipping to the right, he caught the tail end of movement. Someone had been standing there!

"Hello?" he called out. He listened intently. He could just make out the soft sound of retreating footsteps. The footsteps stopped.

Shuichi called out again. "Hello?" Nothing.

Clutching his music books to him, he slowly moved down the hall toward the unseen visitor.

"My name is Shuichi. Were you looking for me?" Silence. He had almost reached the next bend in the hall when he began to hear breathing just around the corner. Whoever it was was still standing there!

Shuichi crept closer, his heart racing. "I'm a singer…and…and…I'm Mr. Seguchi's guest. I'm…uhh…about to give a performance downstairs in the drawing room. Won't you join us?" Shuichi realized he was on the verge of babbling, but he didn't know what else to say. What do you say to a ghost?

He reached the hall corner and stopped just shy of it. The footsteps took several steps backward.

"Please!" Shuichi cried out. "Don't go!"

The footsteps stopped.

"I…I…just wanted to say…hello."

Silence.

"Uhh…well…hello then!" Shuichi laughed. This was ridiculous. He might as well be talking to thin air. "You know, if anyone comes by right now, they're going to think I've gone mad. It looks like I'm standing here talking to myself. Won't you come out and say hello and help me out? They don't need to know that I really am insane until tomorrow!" Shuichi laughed again.

There was a soft sound and then…the footsteps took a step…forward! Then another. Shuichi was sure his mystery ghost could hear his heart beating--it was pounding so hard. The footsteps continued coming forward, slowly, but surely.

"I…" Shuichi's voice caught as the footsteps reached the corner. The breathing was just an inch away…

"Mr. Uesugi?" Shu called softly.

"Shuichi! There you are!" Hiro called from the other end of the hall. "I knew I should've come with you. Good thing I came when I did, it looks like you were trying to go and get yourself lost for real this time!"

Shuichi heard the quiet footsteps retreating rapidly down the hall. He turned the corner to find…no one.

"What are you looking at?" Hiro was standing right next to him, peering down the empty hallway.

"Nothing." Shuichi kept looking, hoping his ghost would come back. It didn't. He sagged in disappointment.

"Let's go." Hiro said. "Ryu's trying to fall asleep on us and if we don't hurry, he'll miss all the fun."

An hour later, one song had turned into seven and everyone was having a good time. Ryu, who'd fallen asleep about 20 minutes into the concert was curled up on the couch beside Tatsuha with his head resting on Tatsuha's lap. He was completely oblivious to the loud, raucous turn the performance had taken. Accompanied by Seguchi himself on the piano, the impromptu concert, fueled by flowing wine, had gotten livelier and louder by the minute until it had become an out and out jam session.

"Oh my, I haven't played like that for a very long time," Tohma said laughing. "This has been a most enjoyable evening."

"Yes it has, thank you." Shuichi was glad everyone was having a good time. For the past hour he too had been having fun. Downing much more wine than he was used to, the libations fired him up and eased his worries. He stood before the piano flushed with liquid contentment.

Seguchi flipped through Shuichi's music book and selected another sheet.

"Just one more, Mr. Shindou and I promise I'll let you get some sleep. I saw this one earlier and thought it looked very pretty. A fitting ending for this evening's festivities."

Shuichi looked over his shoulder and saw which song he was referring to.

"Oh, that one's not finished yet. I'm still working on it."

"Nonsense, it looks just fine. I would really like to hear it."

"Yeah, Shuichi, go on." Hiro clapped his agreement.

Tatsuha nodded his encouragement but didn't move too much so he wouldn't disturb Ryuichi who was still in a deep sleep on his lap.

"I couldn't." He didn't want to tell them that the song was highly personal. It had come to him one night after his dream and he'd written it down, thinking perhaps one day he could sing it to his love when he finally materialized into reality. He had never intended to sing it for anyone else.

"Have some more wine." Tohma tried to fill his glass from the decanter sitting on the piano.

"No thank you. I'm trying not to pass out as it is. I've no head for business and even less of one for drinking."

Tohma laughed and in spite of Shu's protests, started playing the music. Shuichi tried to sober up for the finale. He listened to the soft, sad notes Tohma was playing and felt them vibrate through him. The mood in the room instantly changed from rowdiness to one of sweet longing and hopefulness.

Tohma slowed for the intro and Shuichi, lit by the fireplace, lifted his head and sang slowly.

Shuichi closed his eyes while he sang and thought of his dream and how lonely it always left him. To know that he was still as alone when he opened his eyes as he was when he closed them. To know that though he had friends and admirers, he was alone in the truest sense of the word. It left him with an aching so tangible that it hurt. Would it ever cease? Or was he destined to be alone forever, wondering what it was that he was missing. To never know the warmth of true love's embrace. To never hear in reality the words he heard over and over in his dreams. He didn't want to live in this world for the rest of his days with only his shadow beside him.

He continued to sing.

He opened his eyes and looked at Hiro. A measure of sadness had filled the man's eyes. Are you thinking of your sword master, Hiro? Do you remember him? Is the story K told me true? Were you once happy and now spend your captive days filled with longing for a love that you can only remember that you once had? Do you hold out hope against hope that one day you will see him again? What would you do if you saw him again? Would you weep? Would you kiss him? Would you fall to your knees and thank the gods or would you stand there, afraid to move, afraid to call his name, afraid to touch him because like your hope now, the sight of him standing before you might be fleeting like a misty mirage that falls apart when you come too near? Behind that false smile, is it pain that I see?

He directed his voice toward his companions and looked at Tatsuha, who was looking down at Ryuichi sleeping in his lap. He softly caressed the hair that had fallen over his face.

Do you find happiness even here, Tatsuha? In this big, empty place? Do you find it in Ryuichi? Is he the rose among your thorns? Is he making your forced solace, your captivity bearable? Is it love that moves you to caress his face so gently like that? Is it comfort that you give? Or is it comfort that you receive? If you were free would you still stand beside him, let him sleep on your lap, love him? If you could, would you rescue your prince from this ivory tower and take him to a land far away where roses don't grow? Would you go with him Ryu? Laughing and smiling, hand in hand, to a land where you could be happy and time would stand still when he looked at you and the sun would shine when you looked at him?

He closed his eyes and sang with all the pent up emotion and pain the lyrics had been written to convey.

Where are you Eiri Uesugi? Was it you that wanted to speak to me tonight? Or are you like my dream lover—just a figment of my imagination? Are you truly Tohma's companion? Are you happy? Are you in love? Or do you need rescuing too? Why do I wonder so ardently when I have never even seen your face? Why do I care so deeply when I've never even heard your voice? Why did my heart leap knowing you were so near? Are you thinking of me too? If given the chance, would you try to speak to me again? What would you say? Would it be what I wanted to hear?

Tohma finished the final notes and let them hang in the air. Hiro looked away. Tatsuha kept his eyes on Ryu. Tohma stared at the music.

The song was done, but the sadness it had evoked in Shuichi lingered on.

"I…I should be going to bed. Thank you all for a wonderful evening." Shuichi turned to leave so the others wouldn't see the tears about to fall.

"Mr. Shindou?"

Shuichi turned.

"That was beautiful. I truly understand why you didn't want to sing this song tonight. I am sorry if I've made you uncomfortable."

Shuichi smiled and bowed.

Tohma stood and returned the favor. He walked with Shuichi to the door.

"Do you need an escort?"

"No, I'll be fine. Goodnight, Mr. Seguchi."

"Goodnight, Mr. Shindou."

Tohma opened the door and stood in the hallway watching Shuichi leave. As soon as Shu rounded the corner, a small sound floated from further down the hall.

"So, I see you decided to join us after all." A man stepped into the hallway from the shadows.

"Too bad you missed this evening's festivities." The man walked toward him. "Or did you?"

The man stood silently in front of Tohma.

"No matter," said Tohma, "the night is still young."

* * *

"…Shuichi…Shuichi…I love you Shuichi…" A full moon, a starry night sky, a shower of rose petals, hands reaching for him, the mist evaporating and the figure becoming solid…

Shuichi awakened with a gasp. Hands! He'd seen hands this time. They were reaching for him. To embrace him, he was sure. He sat up, his heart pounding. It was farther than he'd ever gotten in the dream. And something else…it was so real, not the usual mist enshrouded scene, but bright and clear like he was awake and there living it. He closed his eyes and tried to recall details. He'd been able to hear summer night crickets. He'd been able to hear something like water in the background. And…and the hands… so real…

He reached for his book to write the details before they escaped him, but it wasn't where he usually kept it on the night table.

He scrambled out of bed and dove under it, fetching his music case. The book wasn't there either.

_Where was it?_

Then he remembered. He'd left it in the drawing room. He'd been so unsettled by the last song that he'd left his sheet music and lyrics book on the piano when he'd come to bed.

He looked around for paper in the room. Not finding any, he wrapped himself in his robe and hoped no one would see him creeping around this late. The mantle clock told him it was 2 am. Hopefully everyone was asleep at this hour.

Closing the door behind him quietly, Shuichi was relieved to see that the hallway sconces were still lit. Praying he wouldn't get lost, he found his way to the stairs, down to the main floor and to the drawing room hallway.

This hallway was lit as well and as he drew nearer the drawing room door, he could hear voices inside.

Oh no! thought Shuichi. I can't get my book dressed like this if there are people still in there. As he stood there debating what to do, he heard more than one voice coming from inside.

_Don't these people ever sleep? _he wondered.

Someone called out. Shu felt drawn to the door, even though he knew he shouldn't be eavesdropping. He stopped just beside the door and peered through the crack of an opening someone had left.

The light from the fireplace fell across his eye and painted a pale stripe down the side of his face as he scanned the room. It seemed that everyone had moved from the couches by the piano and were seated on the conversation couches near the door.

It only took a second for Shuichi to quickly realize that _"seated" _wasn't the correct word at all.

On one couch, Hiro and Tatsuha were caught up intimately. Tatsuha was kissing Hiro deeply while his hand ran a red rose over Hiro's exposed chest, courtesy of the unbuttoned shirt that he wore under his now discarded waistcoat. Tatsuha's mouth left Hiro's and began licking a trail down his neck. He nipped and sucked then suddenly bit down hard into the soft flesh on the side of Hiro's neck, causing him to go rigid and blink rapidly with pain. Hiro clenched his teeth and looked down at Tatsuha. He grabbed Tatsuha's head, pulled him back up and began kissing him hard. Tatsuha dropped the rose and clung to him. He didn't resist when Hiro left his mouth and returned the favor, clamping down on the side of his neck with painful ferocity.

"Ah!" Tatsuha cried out with the contact. Hiro held Tatsuha's head near his own, looking into his eyes. Tatsuha blinked rapidly for a second and then smiled widely. They kissed again, deeply and softly, this time and held each other close.

Shuichi was stunned. He wanted to scream out. He wanted to run away. He did neither. He continued to watch even as he felt himself become aroused by what he was witnessing. He heard his own breath quicken and become noisily shallow, echoing in the hallway. He mashed a hand over his mouth to quiet the noise.

Not seeing Ryu, Shu looked around. A few couches to the right of Hiro and Tatsuha, Shuichi could see Tohma watching them. Or trying to. He too was breathing rapidly, his chest rising and falling hard and fast to some unseen rhythm. His head fell back against the back of the couch as he gave in to…

Shuichi looked down. There was someone else in the room. He looked closer. Someone was kneeling on the floor in front of Tohma. A blonde…

Tohma clutched at the couch cushions and breathed out loud.

"Eiri…Eiri…" he called.

Shuichi could see Tohma trying to focus, but it wasn't working. Suddenly he pulled the blonde up by the arms and kissed him deeply.

"Who do you love?" Shuichi heard him ask.

Shuichi couldn't see the blonde well, but he clearly heard his reply.

"I love you."

"How much do you love me?" Tohma asked.

"With my whole heart."

Tohma hugged the man to him and the two went back to watching Tatsuha's and Hiro's intimate embraces.

Shuichi's eyes followed theirs and he too became caught up in the mesmerizing scene that unfolded before him. He fought urges to both run and stay, to both watch and recoil, to recognize his own obvious arousal…

Turning away, Shuichi slid his eyes back to Tohma and instantly stopped breathing. Tohma was looking directly at him through the crack in the door!

Shuichi froze. Can he really see me? Does he know I'm here?

And as if in answer to his frantic thoughts, Tohma slowly smiled.

Shuichi gasped and scrambled away from the door, down the hall and back up the stairs to his room, with Tohma's laughter echoing in the halls behind him.

* * *

**End Chapter 3: The First Night's Concert**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Could You Repeat the Question?**

**

* * *

**

It was the concert hall. The large, full-bloomed Pink rose stood center stage singing a sad song of love and longing. Its emotional vocals were punctuated by the gentle swaying of its stem and the curling and clasping of two large hand like leaves. It was lit by a single bright spotlight. And before it, a faceless audience sat watching the performance.

Behind the rose, the stage scenery had changed. No longer the mountain city scene, the backdrop had become one of a cliff overlooking the sea. The sky was a cloudy gray as if a storm was coming and below, the sea whitecapped in waves toward the shore, illustrating the unseen wind that was driving them.

Suddenly a stage prop dropped from the rafters on a cable. It was a small gold Sun. It shone brightly as it halted its decent about six feet from the floor and rotated there in place on its suspension line.

From stage left, three more roses entered in a single file line. A Red rose. A Black rose. A Brown rose. They marched in line, slowly approaching the Sun. One by one, they fell into orbit around it and circled the star, moving forward on foot like leaves, swaying gently in time with the music.

The Pink rose continued to sing, seemingly oblivious to what was happening behind it. It continued like that until suddenly the Sun began flashing. It caught the Pink rose in its light. The flashing strobed faster and brighter until it seemed as if a solid beam of light from the Sun had captured the Pink rose from where it spun. The house spotlight died and the rose was lit now only from the Sun's beam.

Slowly the rose turned toward the Sun. It began sliding backward as if the Sun were pulling it with that beam of light. Within seconds the Pink rose joined the rose dance orbit, sliding into place behind the Brown rose.

It continued to sing and orbit with the others, keeping time with the music. There was another bright flash and the Pink rose was pulled inside the orbit so that it stood just beside the Sun. The Pink rose began to revolve around the Sun in an inner orbit that ran counterclock to the rest of the roses. Its blossom head bloomed more fully and deeply than ever. And the Sun shone even more brightly.

In the shadows of stage right stood a Blindfolded Sword. Beside it on a stool, sat a Plain Gold Engagement Ring, nestled on a white linen handkerchief. The two watched the scene from afar as a strange, soft clicking sound came rhythmically from backstage. The sound continued under the rest of the music and began punctuating the inner orbit as the Sun and the Pink rose started to revolve around themselves, as if each were caught in the other's hold--like gravity…

Tohma woke with a start. His brow was covered with sweat which he wiped as his eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room. He looked over at the figure sleeping on his side next to him and cuddled him from behind, kissing the back of Eiri's neck.

He laid there in the dark like that for a long time, thinking about this dream, his arm around Eiri possessively.

* * *

"They're at the Sea Rose Inn, My Lord, on the western outskirts of town."

"What are they doing?"

"It seems they are waiting. I have no indication that an attempt at contact has been made." The sound of a gold pocket watch flipping closed clicked softly.

"Your orders?"

"Let them be for now. I don't know exactly what it is they have planned and I would like to know a bit more before we act."

"Do you think that wise, My Lord?"

"They pose no threat for now. Fortunately for him, I don't believe they told him everything. Not that they could. There's no way they _could_ know everything, is there?"

"What would you have me do, My Lord?"

"He doesn't know any more than the others did when they came."

Silence.

"No, I don't believe he poses a threat at this time either. You can relax for the moment."

Nod. Silence. The man stood to leave.

"Keep yourself handy, though. I have a feeling that things are about to get interesting."

"As you wish."

* * *

Shuichi's head was killing him. He didn't know whether it was from the large amount of wine he'd consumed before the concert or what he'd seen after. Over and over again he saw flashes of flesh, heard thick sighs and felt Tohma's laughter chasing him down the hall.

How was he going to face everyone—especially Tohma? He'd not likely to be able to look anyone in the eye for the rest of his stay! What the hell was going on around here? Shuichi lay there and thought about it. It's not like he should be surprised. He'd not seen nor heard mention of any women since he'd been there, and if the town servants were as suspicious as Tohma suggested, he highly doubted any of them, male or female, would be willing to dally with anyone claiming residence at the estate.

What he'd seen was a perfectly natural occurrence between consenting adults…who just happened to all be male…living in a house with a curse…a curse that may or may not be responsible for holding them here against their will.

That's what was bothering him the most he decided—consenting adults. First of all, he wasn't even sure one of them _was_ an adult, much less consenting. Of course, Shu couldn't judge harshly as he was just over the line of adulthood himself and he certainly hadn't waited for that line to be drawn before succumbing to the rewards of celebrity. As for consenting, if he could be certain that they all truly were consenting then it would be their business and theirs alone. But still…

Shuichi thought back to dinner and went over the interactions he'd observed during the course of the meal. Everyone seemed to get on well enough. Everyone seemed friendly enough. They all seemed very congenial towards Tohma. Enthusiastic even…

"…_Tohma is a gracious host…"_

Something dark was nagging at the back of Shu's head and it wasn't just pain. In the light of day and away from the wine, all the interaction to him had seemed forced. Much like Hiro's prompt endorsement of Tohma and the estate when he'd caught Shuichi looking at him on the way to the dining hall. It was almost as if everything had been rehearsed.

He thought back to what he'd seen after the concert. He thought of the blonde who'd been with Tohma. Seeing him…in the act…tugged at Shuichi's heart. For a reason he couldn't fathom, it made him terribly sad. He thought of how he'd felt when he'd seen Tohma kiss him. Even though he still hadn't seen the man's face, he'd felt anger doing a slow burn beneath the sadness that weighed his heart.

"_Who do you love?"_ Tohma had asked.

"_I love you."_ The reply had come softly, in a deep, resonant voice.

"_How much do you love me?"_

"_With my whole heart."_ No passion. No heat. Just a statement. An answer to a question asked.

Shuichi knew then and there, whether he wanted to admit it or not, whether he liked it or not, that K and Mika were telling the truth. He had known it as soon as he'd entered the oppressive atmosphere of the house. He'd known it as soon as he'd seen Hiro's sad look on the stairs. He'd known it when he heard his mystery visitor struggling to come to him in the hall. He'd seen it on the faces of everyone at the concert during the last song.

And now, everything and everyone was waiting for him to pull a miracle out thin air.

Shu's head thumped. He lay in bed staring up at the velvet canopy hoping a solution would float down to him. Or at the very least some pain medicine. He didn't know what to do about anything and even if he did, he was sure he wouldn't know how to do it. And even if he did know how to do it, he was sure he couldn't carry it off with a hangover.

He leaned over the side of the bed and felt around on the floor for his music case which he pulled back up with him, ignoring the protests of his head. He pulled out the dagger and the envelope.

The dagger, with its black leather wrapped handle and flat tapered blade, was a great, heavy thing and could only loosely be called a dagger. More like a very short sword, it was at least the length of Shu's forearm.

Shu held the dagger aloft and tried stabbing the air with it. He missed! It hurt his wrist just holding it.

"I'd certainly like to know what he thinks I can do with this! I can't even hold the bloody thing upright!" He let it drop to the bed and opened the envelope. Two sheets of paper slid out.

The top sheet was a map of the property. It was marked on four sides by clearly labeled lines that Shuichi guessed represented the roses that were supposed to grow on each side of the estate. The north line was marked "Foresight." The east line was marked "Love." The south line was marked "Immortality." The final line to the west was marked with a cryptic "Everything." He looked at the rest of the map and noted the lake to the east and the carriage house, gardens and orchard behind the house. He also noted that there was only one way onto and off of the property--the road along the western side of estate that he'd traveled up just yesterday.

Yesterday. He'd only been there a day and it had already seemed like an eternity. No wonder Hiro wasn't sure how long he'd been there!

Shu remembered the pink roses near the gate. That must be the western line of roses. He looked at the map label. "Everything." He thought about the tree beside the gate. Even now thinking about it made him feel faint…that rope swinging in the breeze…

Shu forced the image from his mind and looked at the second sheet. Neatly written in the center of the page was a poem.

_Do not cross the line of roses..._

_To the north, by the sea..._

_Lest you lose your prescient sight..._

_And never again the future see..._

_

* * *

_

_Do not cross the line of roses..._

_That due south, guards family..._

_Lest you gain your mortal core..._

_And reign immortal nevermore..._

_

* * *

_

_Do not cross the line of roses..._

_To the east, beyond the lake..._

_Lest your captured heart break free..._

_And never again their love to take..._

_

* * *

_

_Do not cross the west rose line..._

_Nor any leaf upon its tree..._

_Lest all our deals come undone..._

_And payment come due for eternity..._

_

* * *

_

_A Demon's gifts are never free…_

_

* * *

_

Shuichi studied the poem. Each stanza seemed to point to consequences that would happen should Tohma leave the boundaries set by each line of roses. Each direction was tied to a different ability. Shuichi counted them. Three abilities seemed to be represented:

The ability to see the future. This worried Shuichi. If Tohma really could see the future, then didn't that mean that he already knew that Shuichi was there plotting against him?

My God! he thought. That means he's waiting for me to make a move, doesn't it? Shu tried to calm himself down. If he truly knows the future, then why did he invite me in the first place? Surely he'd know that I'd have spoken with Mika and K and that they'd give me this dagger. Unless…he already knows that I will fail and isn't worried. Or something happens that makes me change my mind.

Shu's head started pounding again. This one is killing me. Go to the next one.

Captured heart. On the map it was marked "Love." That one was easy enough. The captured heart meant that Eiri's affections were false. They were a condition of his enchantment. Shuichi breathed a sigh of relief. That one might be the easiest to make Tohma break, as it didn't seem to involve any kind of supernatural power on Tohma's part. Of course, where did that leave the others? The poem mentioned captured heart, not hearts—plural. Either he was controlling the others another way or the poem was wrong. Either way, even if he managed to set Eiri free, that didn't seem to guarantee automatic release of the others. And he certainly couldn't leave them here.

Shuichi took back his sigh of relief and went on.

Immortality. So much for the dagger, he thought. He looked at it on the bed beside him. If K knew about the immortality, why'd he give him the dagger? Surely that wouldn't do much against a man with a health plan like Seguchi's. Perhaps he only meant for me to get it to Hiro so he'd recognize that we'd spoken and that K still hadn't given up hope.

That seemed most logical to Shu, but it still did nothing to help him figure out how to stop an immortal man. He held his head in his hands and went on to the last one.

"Everything." It seemed that if Tohma crossed that final line, the entire deal would fall apart, and all of his powers, including the big three would be revoked.

"Well, there it is," Shuichi laughed. "All I have to do is get an invincible man who's in league with the devil to walk through the western gate that he knows will surely kill him if he does and then I can go home happy."

Shuichi's manic laughter turned to tears. "I'm doomed."

His aching head prevented him from crying for long, so when he could take the pain no more, he stopped the waterworks, stowed the items beneath the bed and refreshed himself in the water closet. When he was done, he dressed just as the mantle clock chimed 10 am.

I've probably missed breakfast on top of everything else, he thought bitterly. I'm going to have to save the day with a headache AND an empty stomach!

Sighing heavily with the weight of the world on his shoulders, Shu backed out of the room, taking a last quick look around to make sure he hadn't left anything incriminating out, then closed the door.

He turned around and found himself staring up into the most piercing eyes he'd ever seen. Two light amber colored eyes forced him backwards off balance. Like Hiro the night before, a hand shot out and steadied him. Unlike Hiro the night before, the hand didn't immediately let go. It held him instead, an arm's length away, making no move to pull him close or release him.

Shuichi stayed there in that grip, losing himself in those amber depths. His breath left him. The sides of his vision closed in on him and it seemed in that second that the world stopped rotating on its axis.

Instantly the shock sent Shuichi spiraling through a starry night sky, filled with a full moon and showers of brightly colored rose petals floating lazily down from above. A hand reached out for him.

"…Junishi…Junishi…I love you Junishi…" a dark haired man with intense hazel eyes was bending over him, closer and closer, his lips just a breath away…

Junishi?

Shuichi blinked rapidly and found that the lips just a breath away didn't belong to a dark haired man at all, but to an extremely handsome blonde who was currently bending over him in the hallway of a cursed house, staring deeply into his eyes.

Who was Junishi? Before he could even speculate, the man backed Shuichi up against his bedroom door and still not letting go, pinned him there with his body.

Shuichi felt himself go up in flames. He felt hot, he felt dizzy, he felt his free hand slide up the man's arm. The man made no attempt to stop him.

"Mr. Uesugi?" The name barely came out in a hoarse whisper.

The man stiffened for a second. Then he continued forward, leaning into Shuichi. Shu tilted his head upward for the kiss he knew was coming.

"Eiri…" he whispered hoarsely.

Footsteps sounded down the hall from the direction of the stairs. Shuichi could barely hear the laughing voices over the rush of blood that was going straight to his head…the blood that wasn't heading south that is.

Eiri stood and broke the hold he had on Shu. He released Shu's hand and quickly walked in the opposite direction down the hall.

"Wait!" Shu panted after him, still barely able to maintain. His soft plea fell on deaf ears. Eiri was nowhere to be seen as Hiro and Ryu rounded the corner.

"There you are!" Ryu ran ahead. "We were worried. Tohma said to let you sleep in because you had a long day yesterday." Ryu looked at Shuichi carefully.

"Are you alright?" His friend looked flushed and feverish. His eyes were wide and he was breathing heavily. And he was shaking.

"Yeah, you don't look so good." Hiro bent over Ryu's shoulder. "Do you have a hangover from last night? You didn't drink that much, did you?"

Shu got himself together. "A man. There was a man here."

Hiro looked down the hall. "What man?"

Shu closed his eyes. "Tall…blonde…here…"

Hiro's eyes widened. "Oh, you must mean Eiri. Did he scare you? Is that why you look like you've seen a ghost?"

Shuichi's eyes snapped open. Ghost…

"He's not that bad looking. Admittedly he's a bit strange and certainly aloof, but I wouldn't say he's ugly enough to scare. Quite the opposite in fact."

Hiro continued musing out loud, watching Shuichi's breathing finally slow.

"Interesting that he put in an appearance this morning…here…"

"Let's go, Shu!" Ryu was tired of standing still. "If you're ok, we saved some breakfast for you."

"I'm fine, thanks." Shu pushed himself off the door ready to go to the dining hall when he felt something in his hand. He opened it and looked.

It was a packet of headache powder.

Hiro looked at it over his shoulder.

"God, you really can't hold your liquor, can you?"

* * *

"So, what do you want to do today?" Ryu was tapping the table impatiently waiting for his friend to finish picking at his breakfast.

Shuichi left most of the food set for him on the table alone, going instead for his goblet of water with which he mixed his headache powder and downed in one gulp.

"What do you normally do around here during the day?" His thoughts strayed back to the hallway. How had Eiri known that he had a headache? Had he been watching him the previous evening? Shu tried to concentrate on the conversation going on around him.

"Well, there's the games parlor and the horses and we can go swimming and fishing in the lake, or read books in the library. There are lots of fun things to do here. Every day is an adventure!" Ryu sparked with excitement.

Shu leaned into his bowl of breakfast stew. That sounds familiar he thought darkly. He wondered if Mika and K were still waiting for him at the Sea Rose Inn and thought about how could he get a message to them.

"Why don't we go into town?" Shuichi said brightening with an idea. "You could show me around and we could do some shopping."

"Town? Why would we need to go to town when we have everything we need right here?" asked Tatsuha. He was sitting next to Ryu playing with long cuff of his day shirt.

"Yes, Shu," said Ryu, "We can have fun right here. We can go swimming or fishing. We can play games in the games parlor or go horseback riding."

"Every day is an adventure!" said Hiro, smiling.

Shuichi wondered how far he should push it. "It looked so quaint when I passed through it yesterday. I thought I saw some lovely cafes and shops we could— "

"Town? Why would we need to go town when we have everything we need right here?" asked Tatsuha.

"Yes, Shu," said Ryu, "We can have fun right here. We can go swimming or fishing. We can play games in the games parlor or go horseback riding."

"Every day is an adventure!" said Hiro, smiling.

Shuichi blinked. "Didn't you just say that?" he asked them.

"Say what?" asked Ryu.

"About what we're going to do today," Shuichi said slowly. They were all smiling at him. He felt himself growing cold.

"Well," said Ryu, "We can go swimming or fishing." He thought some more.

"Then there's the game parlor," added Tatsuha.

"Do you ride, Shu?" asked Hiro. "There's horseback riding as well."

Shuichi's mouth dropped open. "Every day is an adventure," he said quietly.

"See!" Ryu said to Tatsuha. "He's going to love it here!"

* * *

They ended up having a picnic in the rose gardens behind the house. After an enthusiastic tour of the immediate grounds given by Ryu, the boys settled down beside a small koi pond, in the shade of a large tree.

Shuichi watched the fish absently as he ate his lunch. So far he hadn't learned a damned thing that could help him break the spell holding his new friends captive.

During the tour, Shu had kept both eyes open trying to find things the map had missed or something he could use to his advantage and he had come up with absolutely nothing.

When he'd come up empty after the tour, he'd tried questioning his friends for information. That didn't work either. With every question, he'd run up against the same wall he had at breakfast. General conversation was fine, but get too close to a forbidden topic and they'd just repeat the same thing they'd said before. Shuichi had learned that the hard way.

"You must get a lot of important guests and celebrities here." Shu had said to Ryu. "It must be very exciting."

"Oh no!" Ryu had smiled. "You're the first celebrity we've had. We're really happy you're here!"

"Really happy," Tatsuha had repeated.

Hiro smiled and nodded his agreement.

"But the House of Seguchi must entertain lots of people. Diplomats and decision makers and all kinds of important visitors?"

"Oh no!" Ryu had smiled. "You're the first important visitor we've had. We're really happy you're here!"

"Really happy," Tatsuha had repeated.

Hiro smiled and nodded his agreement.

Shuichi had tried rewording his question.

"It's very quiet here. I would have thought the House of Seguchi would be very busy with lots of visitors and guests every day."

"Oh no!" Ryu had smiled. "You're the first guest we've had. We're really happy you're here!"

"Really happy," Tatsuha had repeated.

Hiro smiled and nodded his agreement.

Shuichi tried a different question.

"So, where are you from, Hiro?"

"I'm from a small mountain town in the west," Hiro had replied.

"Which town?"

"The one by the mountain."

"Which mountain?"

Hiro laughed. "The one to the west."

Shuichi pressed. "There's more than one mountain town to the west. Which one _specifically_, are you from?"

"The SMALL one!" Hiro laughed out loud. "You're really funny, Shuichi. I think you missed your calling as a joke master!"

Shuichi blinked. Did he not realize that he hadn't answered the question? He tried again.

"How about you, Ryu, how did you come to live with Tohma?"

"Tohma took me in after my parents died in a fire," Ryu replied, smiling. "He's very good to me."

"And me," smiled Tatsuha.

Hiro nodded his agreement.

"I'm sorry to hear that your parents died," Shuichi said sincerely. "Where did you live before that happened?"

"With my parents."

"With your parents where?"

"Where we lived, Silly!" Ryu laughed.

Shuichi gritted his teeth. "Which was where, Ryu? What TOWN did you live in?"

"Town?"

"Yes, _town_, what town did you live in?"

"The one where my parents lived!" Ryu laughed again. "You're right, Hiro, Shu _is_ funny!"

Getting nowhere with Ryu and Hiro, Shuichi had tried Tatsuha next. "What about you, Tatsuha. Do you have any other family besides Eiri?"

"Yes!" Tatsuha said excitedly.

Shuichi's eyes widened with hope. "Really? Who?"

"Tohma. He's like a brother to me!"

Shuichi immediately thought back to the night before. An incestuous brother, he said to himself.

"So it's just Eiri, then?" Shuichi tried one more time.

"Uhh…no."

"So you do have more family than just Eiri?"

"Yes!" Tatsuha said excitedly.

Shuichi slumped a little. He had a sinking feeling he knew where this was going. "Really? Who?"

"Tohma. He's like a brother to me!"

"You already said that, Tatsuha."

"Said what?"

"Tohma is like a brother to you."

"Yes, he is! I'm so glad you feel that way too!"

Shuichi had wanted to kill himself.

In the end, he'd let the questioning go. It was getting him nowhere fast and frankly he just didn't have the strength to go on. Shu also wasn't sure how much he'd wanted to continue questioning them. How much he could trust his new friends? If they were under Tohma's complete control, what would stop them from going back and reporting his line of questioning to Tohma himself?

And that wouldn't be good for anybody, most of all me, Shu thought miserably. He couldn't imagine what Tohma would do if he knew of his intentions (if he didn't know already).

Speaking of the devil, he wondered where Tohma was. He hadn't seen him since last night, which was of course, when he'd seen far too much of Tohma. He blushed with remembrance.

"Look Shu, I made you a rose wreath."

Shuichi looked up. He had been sitting against the tree by the koi pond deep in his thoughts. Tatsuha and Hiro were rummaging through the picnic basket a few feet away and Ryu was sitting beside him. He held out a pretty wreath he'd woven together with roses they'd picked from the gardens during the tour.

Shuichi smiled. "Thank you, Ryu, that's…" a glint of something flashy on Ryu's wrist caught his eye. Shu reached out for the wreath but grabbed Ryu's arm instead.

"What's that?" Shu pushed the long, billowing sleeve of Ryu's day shirt aside and saw a gold bracelet hugging his friend's wrist. More like a narrow cuff, it was thin and plain save for intricate markings that were carved around the edges.

Ryu smiled. "It was a gift from Tohma. Isn't it pretty?"

Shuichi pulled Ryu to him and took a closer look. The markings were like nothing he'd ever seen—like symbols of some sort.

Ryu tried to pull away, but Shu held him fast. The jewelry with its unusual patterns instantly became suspect. Before Ryu could react, on impulse, Shuichi tried to pull the cuff off.

Ryu immediately screamed and snatched his arm back, squishing the rose wreath. The thorns dug into Ryu's flesh, causing tiny trickles of blood to slide down his fingers.

Ryu blinked rapidly.

"Shu…Shuichi?" Shuichi looked up to see Ryu looking at him with wide eyes. Wide clear eyes. They darted around in confusion. "Where…"

"Oh my, what's the commotion?"

Tohma and Eiri were approaching the group from the other side of the koi pond. They walked hand in hand, strolling leisurely toward the picnic.

Shuichi shifted into panic mode. Had Tohma seen what'd just happened? What HAD just happened? How was he going to explain Ryu screaming?

The two came to a stop in front of Shu and Ryu.

"Uhh…" Shuichi fumbled for an explanation.

"Look Shu, I made you a rose wreath." Ryu was smiling and holding out the wreath to him with a bloody hand.

"Oh my, it looks like you've pricked yourself on the thorns, Ryu." Tohma let go of Eiri and bent down to have a look.

"How many times must I tell you to be careful of them?" Tohma smiled at how pale Shuichi looked. "No need to worry, Mr. Shindou, it's quite minor." He turned to Tatsuha. "Could you please hand me a cloth from the basket?"

Tohma took the cloth and Ryu to the edge of the pond where he cleaned Ryu's wounds.

Eiri stood still, quietly staring down at Shuichi. Shuichi felt panic give way to something else…something heated…

"Good afternoon, Eiri," Hiro said politely. "Lovely weather we're having, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is." Eiri continued to watch Shuichi. Shuichi looked at the ground.

"Hello, Brother." Tatsuha came up beside Eiri. "I was wondering if you were ever going to join us. Have you met Shuichi? He's Tohma's guest and a very good singer. You'll be giving us another performance tonight, right Shuichi?"

Shuichi looked up. He'd meant to answer Tatsuha's question, but instead his eyes had locked on to Eiri.

"Yes," Shu answered quietly, "If everyone wants me to, I'd be happy…"

Eiri stooped and picked up the rose wreath.

"…to sing…" Shu tried to finish his sentence, but was losing concentration as Eiri leaned forward and gently placed the wreath on his head.

"…tonight…" The word came out in a whisper.

"That's wonderful!" Tohma was suddenly standing beside Eiri again. "We'd all be delighted to have another concert this evening after dinner, wouldn't we?"

Everyone agreed. Shuichi pulled his eyes away from Eiri's and tried desperately not to blush.

"Well, we should be going. Come along, Eiri, we have much to do before this evening's festivities." Tohma reached for his lover.

Shuichi felt a sharp slice across his heart. Eiri was leaving again. He looked away quickly before any tears could betray what he was feeling.

Eiri moved to stand, but before he did, he reached out and plucked a rose from Shuichi's wreath, catching Shu's eyes as he did.

Then, without another look, he stood and took Tohma's hand. The two of them left, walking back toward the house without a backward glance.

Shuichi was sure everyone around him could hear his heart shattering.

* * *

"Oh my God, what am I going to do?" Shuichi lay on his bed in the midst of despair. He'd spent the entire day looking for solutions to his mounting problems and had been defeated at every turn.

After the picnic the group had moved back indoors and spent the rest of the afternoon in the games parlor playing cards. As soon as he found the opportunity, Shuichi had excused himself to go back to his room to rest before dinner. Of course, rest was the furthest thing from his mind. He needed a miracle and he needed it now.

He dropped the copy of the Demon King's poem onto the bed next to the dagger. He'd been studying it hoping to find something he'd missed earlier. Defeated again, he admitted that he was no closer to an answer now than he was when he first read the damn thing. And time was running out. Very soon now a message from Fujisaki would return asking him to leave for his booked engagement.

Shu thought about it. Though he didn't want to leave his friends, it might be the best solution. When he left for his booked engagement, he'd meet with Mika and K and tell them what he'd observed during his stay.

He'd tell them about the bracelet and how he thought that was what was controlling everyone. Shu made a mental note to look to see if the others had bracelets as well.

He'd also tell them about the repeated questioning and the fact that no one seemed to know they were being held captive or remember the lives they'd had before coming to the House of Seguchi.

Most of all, he'd tell Mika and K that their families were alive and well and for the most part seemed to be treated very well.

At least there's that, Shu thought gratefully. I might not be able to break the spell by myself, but the three of us together should be able to come up with something. And in the meantime, at least no one here is suffering.

For the first time since arriving, Shuichi had some semblance of a plan going and it made him feel better and a lot less helpless than he had been feeling. Yes, it would all be ok in the end.

He optimistically allowed himself to think about what life would be like when it was all over. He hoped that after everyone was free they would all continue to get to know one another. In the short time he'd known Hiro and Tatsuha and of course Ryu, he had come to think of them as good friends. In spite of the conditions under which they'd met, they'd all gotten along very well, like old friends even. It was almost as if he'd known them all for a long time. And Eiri…

Shu's thoughts strayed to Eiri. At the mere thought of him, Shu's heart leapt. He closed his eyes. He saw Eiri looking down at him in the hallway that morning and remembered the heat his body pressing against him had invoked. Since that morning, every other thought that invaded Shu's mind, was about Eiri. He wondered what would have happened if they hadn't been interrupted. He wondered what it would have felt like to have Eiri surround him in an embrace and kiss him with the same fever his own body felt whenever he thought of him. No one he had ever met had made him feel such…desire.

Shu shook his head and tried to clear the thoughts that were threatening to burn him. The mantle clock told him that it was almost time for dinner. Retrieving his evening clothes from the armoire, he set them on the bed and went into the water closet to freshen.

Inside, he doused himself liberally with the cool rose water that filled the ornate basin on the washstand. Unbuttoning his vest and day shirt, he tried to rinse away the hot imaginings of Eiri's touch from his throat and chest. It was no good. The very thought of Eiri Uesugi set him on fire.

Am I in lust with the man, or is it something else…

Shuichi sighed and added his unhealthy fascination with Tohma's number one captive to his list of worries.

If I keep adding things to my worry list, I'll have a worry book before I'm done, he thought dryly.

Finishing up, he stepped back into the bedroom. Half a second later Shuichi saw his list explode into a novel.

Eiri Uesugi was standing in his room beside the bed, staring at him in all of his half dressed glory.

In his right hand he held the rose that he'd stolen earlier from the wreath Ryu had made him.

And in his left, he held the copy of the Demon King's poem that Shuichi had carelessly left out on the bed.

Eiri walked toward him.

* * *

**End Chapter 4: Could You Repeat the Question?**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: The Second Night's Waltz**

**

* * *

**

Eiri advanced on him. Shuichi felt panic roll down him like cold water as he stumbled backward.

Oh My God! Shuichi thought. I'm found out! He's going to go straight back to Tohma with that poem and it'll be all over. I've failed!

His eyes darted to the bed. The dagger! Maybe I can use it to keep him from leaving the room. Even as the thought entered his head, he saw Eiri turn to see what he was looking at.

Shit! I gave myself away! Shuichi's panic turned to desperation. While Eiri was distracted, Shu tried to dash around him and snatch the dagger up.

Eiri spun back around and saw what was happening. He threw the rose on the bed and grabbed Shuichi, shoving him roughly onto the bed beside it. Shu tried to roll and reach the weapon, but Eiri was on him in an instant, pinning him where he landed. Shuichi struggled beneath him. He turned and kicked out. He squirmed and tried shoving back. He hit him with his fists causing Eiri to lean on him heavily and wrench Shu's hands together up over his head.

It was no use. Eiri was bigger and he was stronger.

He opened his mouth to scream. Eiri dropped the poem and clamped his hand over it, muffling Shu's cries. Shu did the last thing he could, he bit down on the hand covering his mouth.

Eiri flinched with pain but didn't let go. Instead Shuichi saw him blink and look back at him. For an instant, Shuichi thought he saw the blank expression he'd seen him wear thus far, clear and something flicker behind those amber colored eyes.

Eiri blinked again and the blank expression returned as if it had never left. He moved his hand to grip Shu's face again and leaned harder on Shuichi, pushing him into the mattress.

Shuichi stopped struggling. The hand over his mouth and nose and the heavy body pinning him to the bed was making it hard to breathe. He tried to gasp for air, but couldn't get enough. He was going limp and his world was starting to go black.

Tears slid from his eyes as they fluttered toward unconsciousness.

Instantly the hand left his face. Shuichi felt the weight on his body lift and shift in position on the bed. He felt his head jiggle slightly then someone tilted his head upward to open his air passage.

Slowly Shuichi opened his eyes. Eiri was still hovering over him, but was no longer mashing him into the bed. He was looking down at him with an indecipherable expression.

Weakly, Shu tried to move and found that his hands were still pinned over his head.

"Please, let me go," he whispered.

Eiri didn't reply. He also didn't move.

Shu tried again. "I'm not trying to hurt anyone, I swear. I'm trying to help."

Nothing.

"I want to help you. I want to help all of you. I want to try to get you out of here." Shuichi tried to appeal to whatever humanity was left inside of Eiri. He already knew about the poem and could easily turn him in to Tohma or worse. Shuichi played the only card he had left.

"Mika sent me." Shuichi searched for some kind of recognition in Eiri's eyes. He found none. Shuichi tried again, feeling his frustration turn into hot tears.

"Mika your sister. You have a sister who's trying to help you."

Nothing. Shuichi started to cry.

"You have a sister that loves you. Remember Mika? Remember you and Tatsuha and her together? Remember you and Tatsuha sacrificed yourselves for her?" Shuichi sobbed. "You have to remember! Please, wake up, Eiri! Wake, up!" He struggled against Eiri again and again went nowhere.

He looked up at Eiri. There was nothing behind those eyes that looked down at him.

"Please…" Shuichi closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable.

There was a small movement above him. Shu opened his eyes to see Eiri straddling him. He let go of Shu's hands and reached for the rose he'd brought with him. Holding it in his hand, he squeezed against the thorns on the stem.

Shu watched as Eiri's eyes cleared a little. Eiri squeezed again, this time harder. He grimaced a bit with pain.

"Shuichi," Eiri breathed. He squeezed the rose again and again, he spoke.

"Mika sent you." Eiri grabbed the poem and shoved it in front of Shu. "Her handwriting."

Shuichi's heart raced and his eyes widened with hope. "Yes! Yes! She gave that to me. She told me all about you and Tatsuha and Tohma and this house!"

Eiri squeezed the rose again and dug the thorns into his hand. "Leave. You can't break the spell."

Shuichi despaired. "No! There must be a way—a way to make Tohma break one of the rules of the pact. Mika and K believe there must be a way to do that and if that happens you can all go free!"

"No." The word came out just before Eiri's eyes clouded again.

Shuichi grabbed Eiri's hand and looked at it. It was pocked with tiny red holes. Shu jammed the rose into Eiri's hand again. Spots of blood welled in his palm.

"We have to try, I won't leave you here!" The determination in his voice was strong.

"Came to tell you…not safe for you here."

Shuichi grabbed Eiri's hands and shoved up his shirt cuffs. Neither wrist had a bracelet.

"But you're defying the pact now, aren't you? I already know from speaking with the others that you can't talk about anything forbidden like leaving. The others don't remember their outside families or their lives before coming here. You do! You just told me about Mika, so there must be a way to defeat this!"

Eiri held up his left hand. A plain gold wedding band graced his ring finger.

"I'm bound." His eyes promptly clouded over.

Shuichi beat the bed with frustration. Eiri's intervals of lucidity were becoming shorter each time he had them.

He made a grab for the ring and tried to pull it off. Eiri went rigid suddenly and shook him violently. He shoved Shu hard against the bed, then grabbed him by the throat and squeezed.

"I love Tohma," he said softly. "I love him with all my heart."

Shuichi was scared like he'd never been before in his life. Eiri was slowly choking him to death.

"Please, Eiri, stop! STOP!" He clawed at Eiri's hands trying to get him to release his throat.

"I belong to him." Eiri squeezed harder. Shuichi clutched at his hands. He couldn't budge them. He flailed out with his arms and moved trying to catch more air. His hand hit the hilt of the dagger. Grabbing it, he pulled it to him and stabbed the back of Eiri's hand with it.

Eiri howled in pain and let go, rolling off of Shuichi. He breathed heavily by Shu's side, holding his hand.

Suddenly he grabbed Shuichi by the collar and pulled him close. He looked directly into Shu's eyes.

Shuichi could see a range of emotions roiling there.

"Find the box." Eiri said—his words tumbled together rapidly. "Find the box in his study. Open the box and I will go free and we will free the others." His eyes were already starting to cloud.

Eiri shook his head as if to clear it. Breathing quickly he pulled Shu closer.

"The ring…bracelets…won't…come off…don't…try." He was breathing hard with effort now, each word a struggle.

He grabbed Shu's face. "I…I…ssso…rry…" With the last of his will he kissed Shu. He held Shu hard against him and kissed him fiercely.

Then abruptly he stopped and let Shu drop to the bed. He blinked against it, but the cloudiness came. This time it stayed.

Shuichi looked up to find a blank expression looking back at him—a mere shadow of the Eiri he'd seen just a few short moments ago.

"I look forward to your concert this evening, Mr. Shindou," he said calmly. "Please join us for dinner soon."

With that, Eiri got up and left the room, leaving Shuichi heaving and shaking on the bed.

* * *

"Ah, there you are, Mr. Shindou. I was just about to send someone up to escort you." Tohma smiled up at him as Shuichi entered the dining hall.

Shuichi crossed the room and sat in the seat Tohma offered him to his left next to Ryu.

"Did you get lost again?" asked Hiro. "I swear you have no sense of direction at all do you?" He smiled across the table at him.

Seated beside Hiro, directly to the right of Tohma, was Eiri.

"You remember Eiri from this afternoon, don't you Mr. Shindou?" He covered Eiri's hand with his own. "I don't believe proper introductions were made. Eiri, this is Mr. Shindou our most revered celebrity guest."

Eiri nodded at Shuichi, giving no indication that they'd ever spoken at all.

"I remember you from this afternoon. Tohma has told me a lot about you and I'm pleased to make your acquaintance. I look forward to this evening's concert."

Shuichi nodded at Eiri and looked away. Shu wore a high collared cravat that spilled silkily over the neckline of his dark rose-colored waistcoat. It hid the bruises that had darkened around his throat where Eiri had tried to kill him just moments earlier. Shuichi could still feel his fingers clasped there.

Tohma continued. "Mr. Shindou, may I please present Eiri Uesugi, my companion."

Shuichi looked up to see Tohma smiling at him. Had he imagined the edged emphasis in Tohma's voice when he had referred to Eiri as his companion?

Shuichi smiled as best he could and bowed at Eiri from across the table. After that, he kept his eyes glued on his dinner.

The rest of the meal continued in much the same fashion as the night before with general conversation and soft laughter accompanying the sounds of their dining. Shuichi however, was in a far less jovial mood. Though he tried to keep up his end of the talk as best he could, even throwing in a smile here and there where required, it took all of his strength and will to do it.

Shuichi was having the damndest time trying to keep himself together. What had happened between him and Eiri just moments before kept shattering any attempt he made at keeping up with the conversation. Even his eyes betrayed him. Despite all efforts to stop them, they constantly slid of their own accord back to Eiri who sat almost across from him looking resplendid in a chocolate-colored waistcoat that accented his hair and brought out the amber in his eyes.

Even a sight such as that couldn't keep Shuichi in the discussion around him. Everyone's voices blended and faded into background noise as Shu's mind raced with questions.

How had Eiri broken the spell—even temporarily? Did it have to do with the fact that he didn't wear a bracelet?

Find the box, Eiri had said. What box? The poem didn't mention a box. He thought hard back to the one and only time he'd been inside Tohma's study the previous afternoon when he'd arrived. He hadn't seen any box, had he? What kind of box was Eiri talking about? He had said to open it and he would be set free. What was in the box? If it was something that could set Eiri free from his spell, what made him think that Shuichi would be able to open it? Weren't things like that usually guarded with dragons and nasty bolts of lightning?

No, Shu thought sadly, there is no way I'm just going to be able to waltz in like the wind and take away Tohma's most precious plaything.

The situation was looking more hopeless with each passing minute and the elation Shuichi had felt earlier at finally having a plan to help his friends, deflated along with it.

A loud clinking noise shook Shu out of his miserable fog. He looked up. Eiri had dropped his wine glass. A red stain seeped like blood through the white of the tablecloth.

"Are you alright Eiri?" Tohma moved to mop up the wine that was pooling near Eiri's plate.

"I'm fine. Just a bit clumsy." Eiri carefully picked up his glass and held it gingerly while Hiro dabbed at the wine that was heading toward him.

Shuichi noticed the wince that crossed Eiri's face when he picked up the glass. There and gone in a blink, Shuichi clearly saw the pain that his wounded hand, hidden beneath the long lace cuff of the shirt under his waistcoat, was causing.

While everyone was preoccupied with the spill, Eiri eyes slid over to Shu and for just a second, they met. Shu thought for certain something moved in Eiri's eyes but it was gone almost before he'd even registered it had happened. Eiri turned back to Tohma and smiled at him.

"Thank you," he said softly to Tohma.

Tohma smiled back. "Any time, My Love."

In his seat, Shuichi felt like he'd been gut punched by the sickening exchange he'd just seen.

And just beneath his misery, serious anger began to simmer and seethe.

* * *

The wine was flowing and with each glass, Shuichi was having more and more trouble keeping his anger in check. All throughout the concert, he'd been treated to the sight Tohma and Eiri sitting together on a couch, cozily making out, nuzzling one another, holding hands and generally making Shuichi sick as a dog.

This evening, Hiro, who as it turned out was a wonderful musician, had accompanied Shuichi on his guitar and a small lyre that Tohma had produced for him to play. Shu sat on a stool beside him singing for their audience.

They were kissing again. Shu's world reeled. He wasn't sure if it was what he was being forced to witness or the wine. He finished the song he was singing through gritted teeth.

"Excellent!" Tohma clapped and jumped up to fill Shuichi's glass again. "That was wonderful!" Shuichi, who knew he should refuse, drank it down straight after seeing Eiri reach for Tohma and beckon him back to sit beside him.

"Sing us another one, Shuichi!" Ryu waved at him to get his attention. Shuichi was suddenly having trouble focusing. He saw Ryu's blur smiling at him.

Ryu and Tatsuha had also been having an intimate time while listening to Shu sing--holding one another, kissing and cuddling. He watched Tatsuha refill Ryu's glass and…Shuichi squinted. He watched Tatsuha quietly swirl the glass in his hand before giving it back to Ryu.

Shuichi blinked. Had Tatsuha just put something in Ryu's drink? Shu shook his head. Maybe it was time he laid off the wine.

"Yes," agreed Hiro, "sing another one."

"Anything you like," Tohma said right before he went back to kissing Eiri.

Shu watched Tohma in his dark red waistcoat, sitting like a tyrant, commanding those around him like dogs for his entertainment. He saw Tatsuha cradling Ryu in his arms, trying to protect him from the unseen dangers that he was helpless to protect even himself against. He saw Hiro sitting on his stool, smiling at him emptily.

The anger which had been doing a slow burn just beneath the surface of Shu's weariness all night hit the boiling point.

"Alright." Shuichi rifled through his music book and handed Hiro a sheet.

"You all should like this one. It's something new that I've been working on since I arrived. It's a little non traditional, but I think it has a lovely sentiment."

A warning at the back of Shu's head said stop. Shu's liquid confidence said go. Shu went.

Hiro began playing the deep bass notes on his guitar. The notes hummed and melded together in a slow, seductive aire, melodic and beckoning, sucking the listener into a sweet, hypnotic rhythm like a Greek siren of yore.

Shuichi smiled and closed his eyes, moving with the groove, ready to give back what he'd received in such bulk for the past two days.

He opened his mouth and sang.

He thought of Eiri in the hallway that morning and how their first face-to-face meeting made him feel like something had finally clicked into place. Something that he'd been waiting for his entire life.

Shuichi remembered Eiri's kiss. That one instance had been enough to send Shuichi into a heated frenzy. Even now as his thoughts lingered on the act, he felt himself grow hot once again. He opened his eyes to see Eiri looking directly at him. So was Tohma. The two sat watching Shuichi, each with unfathomable expressions.

Shu ignored Tohma completely and began directing his vocals directly toward their intended target. The man sitting to Tohma's right. Eiri Uesugi.

Shu caught Eiri's eyes and in a turn of pace, he held them in his own, commanding them to stay. They did.

Boosted by Eiri's continuing attention, Shuichi turned to the man completely. The fireplace behind him, Hiro beside him, Ryu, Tatsuha and Tohma, all of Seguchi House faded into the background. In that space and in that instant, it was just Shuichi Shindou singing to the man he'd loved for as long as he could remember—loved even before he knew his name. Loved before he'd even seen his face. Loved before he'd even heard his voice. Eiri Uesugi.

Shuichi poured all of the bottled up feeling and emotion that he'd carried with him his whole life in preparation for this moment into the song he sang for Eiri. He held out his hand to Eiri and directed all of his love and his strength toward the man that sat in front of him. Spell or no spell, curse or no curse, the one thing on his mind right then and right there was making sure that Eiri could do nothing but know how much Shuichi loved him.

He sang forcefully and made Eiri hear his emotions.

(They stood together in a rose garden on a starry moonlit night.)

He sang sweetly and made Eiri feel his love.

(Rose petals fluttered softly all around them like sweet snow from the night sky.)

He sang directly and made Eiri know his feelings.

(Eiri's hands reached out for Shuichi. Shuichi took them, accepted them and finally, for the first time in his entire life, melted into them, folded them around him and became a part of Eiri Uesugi.)

(They kissed.)

Shuichi reached through time and space and with his voice, with his determination and most devastatingly of all, with his love, shattered the wall of isolation that had been placed around Eiri. And as the bricks of the wall Tohma built came tumbling down, Shuichi reached through the smoking rubble and touched Eiri's heart.

Shuichi finished the song with a dramatic bow and leaned against the stool that was propping him up. He was feeling light headed and very exerted. Beads of sweat were beginning to matt his hair to his face.

Hiro clapped. Tatsuha whistled. Ryu snored. He'd fallen asleep right after the song had started. Eiri sat quietly, saying nothing. Though his expression was exactly the same as it had been before, he continued to gaze directly at Shuichi. He made no attempt to stop.

Tohma on the other hand, sat still and silent, looking directly at Shuichi with what could only be described as malice.

Shuichi smiled in return and bowed to him and Eiri.

"Did you like it, Mr. Seguchi?"

At last Tohma smiled. "Well, it was certainly…different. While I, myself, prefer more traditional music, I must admit you are correct…it did have a certain…sentiment to it." He deliberately took Eiri's hand in his own.

"It does indeed make a statement," he added slowly.

"I'm glad you liked it." Shuichi met Tohma from across the room. In that space and in that instant, Shuichi made a serious enemy.

Tohma rose and took up Shu's glass from a nearby table. He refilled it and held it out to Shu.

Shuichi looked up at Tohma and took the glass. Tohma let his fingers make contact with and slide across Shu's hand as he accepted the drink.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Mr. Shindou?" he asked softly.

Tohma's displeasure floated over Shuichi like a cold wind. "Very much, thank you," he answered unflinchingly.

Tohma looked down at the boy a second longer, then crossed the room to the piano.

"Let's take a break from singing, shall we?" He sat down and began running his fingers over the keys. The strains of a light waltz filled the air.

"How about a nice dance, instead?"

The music started lightly; a delicate piano interlude that conjured images of summer days and romantic evenings.

Hiro put down his guitar, stood and bowed to Shuichi. He held out his hand.

Shuichi shook his head which was slowly beginning to spin.

"I'm not much of a dancer," he smiled apologetically.

"I'm sure that's not true. Besides, it's just us here." Hiro took Shu's hand and guided him to the large open space near the piano. He pulled him in close and began to lead him in the dance that Tohma was creating for them. Gently and smoothly they glided along in time with the music, hand in hand, waltzing.

Behind them, Tohma caught Tatsuha's eye.

"May I cut in?" Tatsuha's voice came from behind Shuichi. Hiro bowed and held Shu's hand out to Tatsuha, who took it and in one smooth movement, took over where Hiro left off. He danced Shuichi to the music, around and around the space and over the floor, holding him close. He swept Shu along, smiling down at him. As they passed one of the small tables that dotted the room, Tatsuha plucked a rose out from a vase and tucked it gently into Shuichi's hair.

"Lovely," he murmured quietly.

As they neared the piano again, he suddenly twirled Shu away from him and back into the arms of Hiro who was waiting patiently to receive him. Without missing a step, Hiro waltzed in and pulled Shu to him. In tight, circling arcs, Hiro and Shu danced together across the space. Hiro looked down at his friend and smiled.

Shu looked up and found that he was having trouble focusing. The heat of the fireplace and the wine and the nearness of Hiro's tall, lean body were making Shuichi feel a bit faint.

As they swept past the piano again, Tatsuha moved in behind Shuichi and gently taking hold of his shoulders, inserted himself into the dance, making it a three-way waltz. The three moved and swayed with the breezy ¾ tempo Tohma set--Hiro in the front, Tatsuha in the back and Shuichi the center of their sensual attention.

Suddenly the music took a turn, leaving behind images of romantic summer nights and became heavier and more insistent, with its deeper chords and erotic melodies carrying with it feelings of predatory arousal.

Tatsuha's hands, which began on Shuichi's shoulders, slid down his back and around his waist, wrapping Shuichi up tight. Four turns later, he opened his hands and on the next step, Hiro spun Shuichi to face Tatsuha, so that Hiro took over from the back. Four turns later, they switched again.

They continued to dance along in this manner, taking turns leading Shuichi, sharing him from front to back and back to front again and each time, Shuichi found himself being held closer and closer, tighter and tighter until the three were pressed body…to body…to body, with him in the middle and with nowhere to go but where they led him.

Slowly Shu became aware of a hand on his chest. Tatsuha, once again on the back end, abandoned his hands of their post on Shu's waist and was slowly guiding them up his chest, undoing button after button on his waistcoat until the silk of his dress shirt was exposed. They came to rest on his upper body and began massaging circles there, in time with the music, in step with the dance. Tatsuha teased Shu's flesh through the thin, slippery fabric, causing heated warmth to take over in Shuichi where the wine had left off.

Shuichi blinked against the sensations that were beginning to radiate outward from the action. He tried to shake his head and speak, but Hiro leaned in and took his mouth into his own, taking advantage of the light pants that were exhaling through Shu's softly parted lips and exchanging his own breath for those of his dance captive.

"No." Shu managed to get the one word out before Hiro kissed him again.

"Yes," Hiro breathed back. He pushed Shu's head back into Tatsuha's chest and let his tongue play over the blush pink skin of Shu's lips.

Tatsuha's hands buried themselves inside Shu's waistcoat and deftly flicked open each button they encountered on Shu's shirt.

They had Shuichi pinned in. He tried moving, twisting, turning, but his movements were weak and getting weaker and he found himself held in place. The sparking waves the two men were invoking in him were causing small fires to break out and spread all over his body.

The light-headedness he was feeling intensified and the little strength he had left dissipated. He became aroused in spite of himself.

"Please…" he panted softly. "Please let me go."

Tatsuha leaned in from the back right and kissed the back of his neck.

Hiro leaned in from the front left and took Shu's neck into his teeth.

"Mmmm." Shuichi moaned out loud, his breath coming in short, fleeting gasps.

Hiro's eyes met Tatsuha's and they slid their heads together, erupting into a kiss between the two.

At the piano, Tohma's breath quickened while he watched the scene unfolding before him. He slid his eyes over to Eiri who was watching them from where he sat on the couch.

"Eiri." He only breathed the name, but it was enough. Eiri rose immediately and came to sit by Tohma's side on the piano bench while Tohma continued to play. Eiri slid his hand up and down Tohma's thigh lazily and the two watched the drama in front of them.

"Do you like watching, Eiri?" Tohma breathed.

"Yes." Eiri's voice was husky and heavy.

"How does it make you feel seeing Mr. Shindou being seduced, Eiri?"

"Excited."

"Did you notice the flush of his skin, Eiri?"

"Yes."

"Can you hear him moaning with pleasure, Eiri?"

"Yes."

Tohma turned to his puppet. "Would you like to join them, Eiri?"

"Yes."

Tohma smiled. "Then join them, my pet. Have your fill of Mr. Shindou. Do whatever you please to him."

Eiri stood.

"Who do you love, Eiri?"

Instant smile. He looked down at Tohma. "I love you."

"How much do you love me?"

"With all my heart."

Eiri turned and slowly walked across the room, unbuttoning his waistcoat and letting it slide off and drop behind him along the way. He unbuttoned his dress shirt and pulled it from his snug breeches, letting it flow around his waist and reveal his tightly muscled chest.

He continued forward, watching his brother and Hiro turn Shuichi into a puddle of melted heat.

Hiro and Tatsuha saw Eiri coming toward them. Together, they slid the rest of Shuichi's shirt from his body and turned him to face Eiri. Behind Shuichi, they kept up their separate missions, Hiro to the right and Tatsuha to the left, holding Shuichi out, presenting him like a gift for Eiri.

Tatsuha looked up from the mouthful of ear he was devouring.

"Welcome, Brother. Join us."

"Yes," agreed Hiro from the side of Shu's neck where he was lazily running his tongue in circles. "Join us."

Tohma watched the fourplay from the piano bench. He saw the bruises on Shuichi's throat. He saw Ryu asleep on the couch near him. He saw clue after clue that there was more to this Mr. Shindou than met the eye.

Enjoy yourself, Mr. Shindou he said silently.

He listened to the quiet moans and whispers that floated back to him from the dance taking place before him.

"Yes, Mr. Shindou, enjoy it while you can."

* * *

It was very late. Or perhaps it was very early.

Tohma took a sip of the drink he held. He stood beside the fireplace, his large dark eyes reflecting the bright flames that danced there.

Behind him, the fire cast flickering shadows across the large room, bathing the centrally placed bed in its orange glow.

Eiri Uesugi lay in the center of that bed.

"I know you spoke with Mr. Shindou earlier," Tohma said finally. "I know you are trying to help him."

Eiri lay on the bed and said nothing.

Tohma turned to look behind him.

"What are you trying to accomplish, Eiri? Even if I were to bodily push you out of the front gate, you would come running back. You always do." He took another sip.

"Even if I were to kill you and push you out of that body you wear now, you will come running back. You always have." Sip. "And you always will."

He crossed the room with his drink and stood beside Eiri looking down at him.

"You've never been moved to help any of the others that have come before. What is different this time? What is it about Mr. Shindou that compels you to defy me?"

Eiri looked at the ceiling and said nothing.

"Do you even know?"

Eiri looked at him.

"The spare key to my study is gone. Did you give it to Mr. Shindou?"

Silence.

Tohma sighed. "Eiri, did you give the spare key to my study to Mr. Shindou, Eiri?"

Eiri answered immediately. "No."

Tohma frowned. "Did you tell him of the box?"

Nothing.

"Damn it, Eiri!" Tohma flicked some of his drink at him. "Eiri, did you tell Shuichi of the box, Eiri?"

Eiri answered immediately. "Yes."

"Did he agree to fetch it for you?"

No answer.

"Goddamn you, Eiri, I tire of your games!" Tohma threw the crystal tumbler across the room, shattering it against the wall and straddled Eiri roughly. He wrenched Eiri's face toward him.

"Eiri, I command you to answer all of my questions, Eiri!"

Eiri answered immediately. "Yes, I understand."

"Did he agree to get the box for you?"

"No."

"Does he know what the box is or what's in it?"

"No."

"Did you know that he can't open it?"

Eiri paused. "No."

Tohma smiled. "He can't. Whatever it is you hoped to gain by getting the box is useless. He can't open it…and neither can you."

Eiri sagged beneath Tohma.

"Why do you defy me now? What is it about Mr. Shindou--Shuichi that compels you?"

"I don't know."

Tohma frowned. He knew Eiri was telling the truth. Eiri didn't have a choice. Shuichi Shindou was different from the rest. He'd seen it the minute he'd laid eyes on him the afternoon he'd arrived. It wasn't just the way he looked. That in and of itself had been startling enough, but beyond that, there was more. Something he couldn't put a name to. He'd spent almost every waking minute since his arrival trying to figure out what that something was and came up empty at every turn.

All around him Tohma saw his carefully wrought world slowly cracking. Eiri defied him. Tatsuha and Hiro were up to something. He didn't know how or what, but ever since Shuichi had arrived he'd sensed a difference in their attitude toward him. Nothing they said of course, but the way the held themselves in his presence, the way they looked at him. It all screamed a breaking of the chains.

And then there was Ryu. Ryu had taken to falling asleep every night, missing out on each evening's "entertainment." He was certain that Tatsuha was behind it, but he couldn't figure out how. His dreams told him nothing, his foresight was dark in that area and he couldn't for the life of him understand why. A blind spot in his foresight, like a lot of things of late was something that had never happened before…until now.

The one thing he was certain of however, was that it had all started with the arrival of Mr. Shuichi Shindou.

Tohma looked back at Eiri.

"How are you able to break the spell? None of the others before you could do it."

"I'm not sure. Pain or strong emotions seem to clear my head for a short while." Eiri looked at Tohma. "It only lasts for a few seconds."

Tohma thought about that. He'd have to experiment with the others to see if that was true for them as well.

"I saw the bruises about Shuichi's throat during your…interlude, this evening. Did he try to remove your ring?"

"Yes."

"And you reacted violently?"

"Yes."

Tohma smiled. At least that was still working.

"But you didn't kill him."

"No."

"Why?"

Again, Eiri paused. "He stabbed my hand."

"Ah, that's how you got that wound. And you didn't report it to me?"

"No."

"Why?"

Eiri answered immediately. "You didn't ask."

Tohma raised his hand to strike Eiri. He held it up over his head, struggling with himself. Finally he let it drop.

Eiri watched complacently.

"Mr. Shindou or no Mr. Shindou, Eiri, you are mine. I've gone through the fires of hell for you and nothing and no one is ever going to take you away from me. I will possess you in this body until it dies. Then I will wait for the next and do the same, just as I have done before and as I will do again and again and again until the END OF FUCKING TIME!"

Tohma calmed himself.

"I love you, Eiri." He kissed Eiri's lips.

"I love you more than anything on this earth." He kissed Eiri's neck, licking the remnants of the drink that'd spilled there when he threw his glass.

"I love you more than life itself." He stroked Eiri.

"I will continue to defy the natural order of things because I want you by my side and I will let nothing or no one stand between us."

Tohma began working his way through the buttons on Eiri's shirt.

"Who do you love?"

Eiri smiled. "I love you."

"How much do you love me?"

"With all my heart."

Tohma reached for his love.

That night, Tohma's sleep was riddled with disturbing images. He slept fitfully in a fevered state until he was seized by the most ominous dream he'd ever had.

And for the first time in centuries, he knew fear.

* * *

**End Chapter 5: The Second Night Waltz**

**Author's Note:**

In the original version of this story, Shuichi sang 311's version of "Love Song" to Eiri during the concert.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: The Box**

**

* * *

**

From somewhere offstage came an odd clicking sound. It underscored the music being played by the orchestra down in the pit and echoed throughout the hall.

The Red Rose, the Black Rose and the Brown Rose all orbited the Sun and the Pink Rose in time with the music. Inside the rose orbit, the Sun and the Pink Rose revolved around each other. The Sun was glowing brighter than it ever had and the Pink Rose's bloom was fuller and deeper in color than it had ever been.

The background scenery was one of a storm. Dark clouds with painted faces blew a fierce wind with puffed cheeks that whipped sea waves brutally to a shore that was situated below a large house on a cliff. The sky, an angry, stormy gray, was slashed with lightening and rain.

Suddenly a huge Red Lion entered from the stage left. The audience booed and hissed as the Red Lion walked toward the rose dance. From stage right the Blindfolded Sword raced forward from where it had been watching the dance beside a stool that held a Plain Gold Engagement Ring nestled on a white linen handkerchief. It flew, point first toward the Red Lion. Mid-stage, the Sword broke in two. The hilted end and the blindfold hit the floor while the pointed blade flew onward.

The Red Lion leaped to intercept the blade but missed. The blade dodged the attack, flew straight through the outer rose orbit and came to a mid air halt beside the Pink Rose.

Slowly it rotated and faced blade away from the rose. A new hilt magically materialized and it offered itself to the Pink Rose. The Pink Rose however ignored it and continued to revolve around the Sun.

The Red Lion, seeing its chance, charged through the outer rose orbit. The Red Rose fell, its petals scattering and its stem was ripped apart by the Red Lion's charge. Seeing the Red Lion coming, the Black Rose pushed the Brown Rose out of the way, saving the Brown Rose, but itself getting ripped apart in the process. Black petals floated through the air as the rose fell, its stem also in tattered ruins. The Brown Rose, still intact and a safe distance away from the carnage, fell. Its large brown bloom head wilted as it toppled over. With no will or strength to stand, it lay there inside a deep coma-like sleep.

With no outer ring to protect them, the Red Lion charged the Sun and the Pink Rose, intending to rip the Pink Rose to shreds. The faceless audience booed and hissed. The Pink Rose dodged the attack and hid behind the Sun. The Sun faced the Red Lion and flashed brightly, blinding the Red Lion. The Red Lion reared up on its hind legs and roared, its harsh, angry voice rang deafeningly throughout the hall, causing the audience to cover their ears. The roar drowned out the music still coming from the orchestra pit and caused the Sun to wobble on its suspension cable.

With the Sun off balance, the Pink Rose was suddenly vulnerable. The Red Lion seized its chance. It opened its massive jaws and clamped down on the Pink Rose. It tossed it to and fro, shaking petal after petal from its blossomed head. Its stem was chewed, slashed and ripped apart in the terrible jaws of the Red Lion.

It fell where the Red Lion dropped it, not moving, barely recognizable as the beautiful flower it had once been.

The Red Lion laughed. Its powerful maw opened and closed in deep, chuckles and its long red mane shook with the movement. As it laughed it began to notice something. A sound. The strange soft clicking sound that it had heard when it had first come out on stage was louder now. The sound echoed across the stage and throughout the hall. It became louder still. Click, click, click, click. The Red Lion looked around for the source of the sound, confused. What was that noise? It looked down.

On its chest where its heart should have been was the face of a large clock. The clicking sound wasn't a clicking at all, but a ticking. The clock ticked, ticked, ticked, ticked loud and hard, each movement of the second hand shaking the sword that had pierced it.

The Red Lion gasped. The small sword that had been floating next to the Pink Rose, the sword that the Red Lion had thought the Pink Rose had ignored was now piercing the Red Lion's clockwork heart.

Around the hilt, a severed hand like leaf was still attached to the hilt.

The audience cheered and whistled. The Red Lion looked up to find that all the people had been replaced by identical Pink Roses and in the front row, in direct line of sight of the Red Lion, sat a Gold Pocket Watch, a Pink Rose that bloomed much fuller and deeper than the other roses that surrounded it and beside that rose sat the Sun.

Suddenly a new, rumbling laughter filled the hall. It was so loud and so deep, everything trembled and echoed with the sound.

A huge, booming voice rolled and crackled across the air. "WHO DARES CALL THE—"

Tohma woke abruptly, startled. After few moments of calming himself, he went and sat before the dying fire, still hearing the terrible voice echo through his mind. Sitting in the deep chair, he stared into the glowing embers and watched the last of the flames stutter and die.

"All good things must come to an end, Mr. Shindou…"

* * *

"Your orders, My Lord?"

Tohma Seguchi sat in his high back leather chair behind his massive, elaborate desk. He stared off into space, slowly stroking the small, rectangular red box he held in his hands.

"My Lord?" Sakano asked again after a few minutes of no answer.

Tohma looked at him. "Have you ever needed something so desperately, something that wouldn't come to you on its own, that you'd move heaven and hell to get it?"

"My Lord?"

"Have you ever wanted something so badly, you'd do anything in this world or the next for it?"

"Well…"

"Never mind, Mr. Sakano. There's no way I can describe to you what I mean. Words trivialize it. No one on Earth can understand."

"Well…"

"Look around you Mr. Sakano. Look at the walls."

Sakano did. The walls were filled with paintings of cities and places from around the world. He remembered some of them as ones he'd been commissioned to bring to Tohma. Others he didn't recognize.

"This is what I know of the world. I have to live through paintings and images to know of places that I have the money and the means to see a million times over and yet never can, because I can never leave this place. Yet I do it and do it gladly because doing so affords me the one thing I can't buy. The one thing that wouldn't come to me."

Tohma stroked the box and continued.

"I've lived a life of gilded cage luxury. I have the best of everything here. I have everything that I ever wanted. And outside, the House of Seguchi reigns supreme. The very name strikes fear and envy and even admiration into the hearts of an entire country. WE—I am the true ruler of this country and I do it from right here. This very chair. This very desk."

Sakano said nothing.

"Yet for everything that I have, for everyone that I know, for every power that I possess, I cannot rid myself of the one thing that vexes me the most. I've tried and tried and tried again, time after countless time and it keeps coming back no matter what I do. And for all of my power, I am helpless to know why."

"For centuries my gift of sight has guided me. Allowing me to pre-empt danger, precede fortune and profit from privileged knowledge. Today my sight fails me in the one area that I need it most."

Tohma looked down at the box.

"Today, Mr. Sakano, I feel a shadow coming. I have seen it and I do not understand it."

Tohma drifted off into thought again.

Silence.

Sakano checked his watch. "My Lord?"

Tohma looked up.

"Your orders?"

Tohma sighed and set himself with resolve. When he spoke, the sad wistfulness that had permeated his speech before was gone. "We have much to do today, Mr. Sakano. Keep yourself close, for I shall need you very soon."

Tohma stroked the box.

"Today will be very interesting." He smiled. "Come what may."

* * *

"Shuichi…Shuichi…I love you Shuichi…" Eiri Uesugi reached for him in the moonlit night.

Shuichi awoke with a start and bolted up straight. Immediately the thumping in his head pushed him back down again. He looked around. Bright morning sunlight was streaming through the window and slanting across the bed.

The bed! He looked around. He was in his bedroom. His eyes flew to the mantle clock. 10 am!

Shu laid on the bed and held his head hoping to still the awful pounding that was going on there. His hands felt cool against his skin.

What happened? He sifted through the pain and found tattered images of the night before.

Singing before the fireplace…

Singing for Eiri…

Dancing with Hiro… He blushed. And Tatsuha…

He went scarlet. Hiro…and Tatsuha…and Eiri…

"Oh My God, they've turned me into a wanton Jezebel!" Shuichi reached the term from his trashy romance novel vocabulary. "I'm a male hussy! No! I'm a MUSSY!"

He didn't know what hurt more, his head or the flash after flash of flesh, loud moans and four-way seduction that were burning their way through his mind.

Even now through the pain and the indecency of it all he was trying to get aroused again.

"Stop that!" he yelled down at himself. "If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem and THAT is DEFINITELY a problem!"

He collapsed against the pillows again. The problem. If it wasn't before, the situation was a SERIOUS problem NOW. There was no doubt in his mind that Tohma was on to him. He didn't know if Eiri had been forced to tell on him or Tohma's prescience had kicked in or what the hell had happened. The one thing he was sure of was that whatever hammer was about to fall, it was going to do it that day—right soon in fact.

Shuichi sat up slowly. Like a man ready for execution, he went to the armoire and carefully selected and withdrew his clothes for the day. Setting them on the bed, he went into the water closet to wash, which he did slowly, letting the cool water flow over him. He savored each and every drop as if it were the last time he'd ever go about such a mundane task again.

He dressed even more slowly. He felt the material on his skin. He buttoned each button with the utmost care. He shined his boots just a little bit extra and tugged them on, making sure his breeches were smooth and his vest was straight and that the cuffs of his day shirt hung just so.

Finishing, he looked at himself in the cheval mirror and carefully styled his hair. He still looked like a milkmaid in drag—a milkmaid in drag with a serious hangover. He smiled. It was a smile full of sadness.

He had no idea what the day was going to bring.

He had no idea what to do about last night or the situation at hand.

He had no idea what Tohma was going to do to him.

He did know that he could not leave the house without everyone safely in tow behind him.

He also knew that he would do everything he could to make that happen…TODAY. Or die trying…

He took a breath and opened the door ready to face the perils he was sure lay on the other side. Come what may…

He could hear the voices immediately.

He crouched back inside and closed the door to a crack, listening.

Tohma's voice was raised in anger just down the hall and around the bend to his right.

"Sleeping draught! I found this sleeping draught in your room! What have you to say for yourself?"

There was no answer.

"Tatsuha, answer me, Tatsuha!"

"I gave it to Ryu."

"I've already figured that out! Why is what I want to know!"

"To keep him safe."

"Safe? Safe from what?"

"Safe from you."

There was a loud smack.

"I'd never hurt Ryu! I love him like a brother! YOU on the other hand…"

Down the hall to the left, Shuichi could hear Hiro and Ryu coming toward him.

They're probably here to collect me for the torture, Shu thought to himself. He remembered the previous morning. Or breakfast…

Down the hall to the right, he could hear Tohma still yelling at Tatsuha.

Determined not to let them figure out what was going on, Shu opened the door and beckoned them quickly.

"Good—" Shu clamped a hand down on Ryu's mouth and snatched him and Hiro inside.

"What's the matter, Shu?"

Shuichi listened at the door, trying to determine if they'd been heard. Tohma was still yelling. He closed the door quietly behind him.

"Sit down, we need to talk."

Hiro and Ryu sat on the bed. Shuichi dove under it and pulled out his music case. Throwing it on the bed beside them, he opened it and took out the dagger.

He held it up to Hiro. "Recognize it?"

Hiro smiled and looked at Shuichi. "It's a dagger. A big one."

Shu thrust it in front his face. "Do you know who it belongs to?"

Still smiling, Hiro shook his head. "No, should I?"

"Damn it!" Shu jerked Hiro's hand from where it sat in his lap and opened it palm up. Then he stabbed it with the knife.

"OWW!" Shu clamped a hand over Hiro's mouth and looked into his eyes. They cleared. He held up the dagger again.

"Recognize it?"

"Shu, what are you doing?" Ryu sat next to Hiro. A worried look melted his good morning smile.

Hiro blinked and breathed heavily. He looked at the dagger. "How did you get my dagger?"

He looked at Shuichi. "That's my dagger! My Master K gave that to me!"

"Right! K lent it to me. He told me to show it to you so you'd recognize that we'd spoken."

"Good morning, Shu, how are you?" Ryu was back to smiling.

Hiro started to cloud. Shuichi stabbed him in the hand again.

"OWW!"

"Stay with me, Hiro," Shu whispered urgently. "How can we get out of here?"

"We can't. The spell prevents us from leaving. When did you see my Master? Is he alright? His eye…" Hiro trailed off.

"He's fine. He and Mika Uesugi sent me to get you and everyone out of here."

"The spell won't let us leave." Hiro's eyes started to go. Shu stabbed him again.

"OW—" This time Shu was ready with a hand already in place over his mouth to muffle his cry.

"That's my sword hand, Shuichi! Could you at least stab me in the other one?"

"Here, Shu," Ryu said beside him.

Shuichi ignored him. "Does pain work on the others for remembering?" he asked.

"I don't know about Eiri, but yes for Ryu and Tatsuha. I think you saw that yesterday afternoon with Ryu and the rose. We don't remember anything when we go under, but when we come out at night, we can remember everything while we're doing it."

Shu frowned. "It?"

Hiro blushed. "You _know_—**_it_**! Pain and for some reason during…**_it_** we come to ourselves. That's why we do **_it_** so much. We can't remember that the spell breaks during **_it_** until it happens, so we leave ourselves notes to remind us to have as much…**_it_** as possible."

"So Tohma's not forcing you to have…**_it_**?"

Hiro blushed again. "Uh, no. He likes to watch us, but so far only has actual **_it_** with Eiri. I--I mean WE, uh, kind of like **_it_**. Plus we use **_it_** to write notes to ourselves."

"Notes?"

"Here, Shu," Ryu said again.

"Yes. The spell doesn't break long enough to let us do…" Hiro went again. Shu brought him back.

"Do anything like leave, but the notes remind us not to give up hope and to do things like give Ryu sleeping potion so he doesn't have to participate.

Tohma's been looking at him funny lately and we think it's because he's next."

So that's what that commotion was, Shu thought. He remembered the past two nights Ryu falling heavily asleep before the concerts were over.

"How do you leave yourself a note during sex—there, I _said_ **_it!_**"

"We write them on our bodies with rose thorns. That's why there are so many of them in the drawing room. That's why we use them during **_it_**. Just short notes scratched on an arm or a back." He pulled back the cuff of his day shirt and revealed several small red welts and scratches that were in various stages of healing. There was also a narrow gold cuff hugging his wrist.

Shu remembered after the first night's concert, the tryst he'd seen. He'd seen Tatsuha rub a rose over Hiro's back. And last night, while dancing, Tatsuha had put a rose in his hair. He'd thought it was just a part of their sex play, but now he knew. It made his heart hurt that they had to go through such measures. His resolve to save them firmed up hard.

"I have this for you, Shu." Ryu tapped him on the arm.

"Eiri can…" He saw Hiro go again. He stabbed him. The clouding didn't leave. He stabbed him again harder. A thin stream of blood was flowing freely down his arm. He couldn't keep this up much longer.

Hiro came back.

"Eiri can do this too. He came to me and told me about a box in Tohma's study. It holds something that will release Eiri from his spell if I open it. Do you know what box that is?"

Hiro thought about it. "No. I've only been in the study once or twice and I don't remember seeing a box. Of course, I'm not sure I would remember."

He started to go under and shook his head to fight it.

"I'm leaving soon, Shu and I don't think stabbing me is going to bring me back this time. It wears off quickly if you do it too much at one time and it'll take awhile before I can do it again, no matter how much pain you cause me."

"Quick, then! How do I get into the study? Does Tohma ever leave the house for any amount of time?"

"Yes. Most mornings he and Mr. Sakano meet in there before breakfast and then go for a ride around the property. They should be doing that now. The study should be empty, but I'm sure it's locked…and…don't know…key…"

Hiro's head started to droop.

"I'm…not…sure… you should. He's dangerous…and don't…know… what he'd do…" Hiro trailed off again.

Suddenly he raised his head.

"Sorry about last night Shu. Stay away from the wine, it's drugged. Save yourself if you can." He wilted one last time.

"Don't…tell…Master…about this…the sex…tell him…I…I…lo"

Hiro blinked. "Good morning, Shu. Did you have a pleasant night's sleep?"

Shuichi blinked back against the tears that were coming. His was a situation that was lost. He didn't know what to do.

"Umm, why is my hand bleeding?"

An insistent tap on his arm brought his attention back. He turned to face Ryu.

"What is it Ryu?" he asked, the tears falling anyway.

"Here." Shuichi looked down. Ryu held a large, shiny key in his hand.

"My hand is really bleeding!" Hiro said puzzled.

"Eiri told me to give this to you last night, but I fell asleep." He hung his head. "Sorry, Shu. Are you mad?"

"And it hurts!" Hiro went to Shuichi's water closet to take care of it.

Shuichi took the key and held it up. It shone brightly in the morning light.

"Ryu!" He kissed Ryu full on the mouth. "I love you to death!"

Ryu laughed brightly. "I love you too!"

Shu put the key in his vest pocket. He looked at the clock—10:35. He didn't have much time before Tohma and Sakano came back from their morning ride. With luck, lots and lots of it, he'd be in and out of the study with the box and they'd all be gone, hightailing it out of there, heads down and asses high, long before the terrible twosome ever got wind of what was going on.

Or so he hoped.

"Ryu, I want you and Hiro to find Tatsuha and bring him back here, ok? Then I want you to stay here. Lock the door behind you and don't open it for anyone but me, got it?"

Ryu nodded, smiling. "Is it a game?"

"Yes, it's a game. But we need Tatsuha to play. Find him and bring him here and we can play ok?"

Ryu nodded.

"Meet you back here in a few minutes." Shuichi left him on the bed.

In the hall, all was quiet. Maybe the commotion with Tatsuha had delayed their morning ride and they were just getting underway. Shuichi hoped to God that was the case. He had a feeling he'd need all the time he could get as he was certain Tohma wouldn't leave the key to his heart's desire just laying around where any old Shuichi could get at it.

He'd seen no one in the dining room. He'd seen no one in the drawing room. The first floor seemed totally empty when he'd casually perused it for bodies. Finally he'd made his way to the study.

It was quiet. Shu pressed his ear to the door. As thick as it was, he thought he should be able to hear at least muffled voices if there were people inside, much like he'd heard in the drawing room his on first night.

Pausing to listen for footsteps behind him, he withdrew the key.

It was now or never and he didn't think Tohma would allow him another day to get his plan together.

He inserted the key. It scraped loudly against the lock.

"Shh..." he told the key.

He turned it quietly.

He opened the door.

He breathed a sigh of relief.

It was empty.

Closing the door quickly and quietly behind him, Shu raced to the desk and began opening drawers.

They were all surprisingly unlocked. Too bad he didn't find anything resembling a box.

He found papers, and quills and a few books—a ledger. No box.

He found seals, and wax and ink stamps and ink bottles. No box.

He found maps, and a spying glass and a paperweight. No box.

Having gone through the last of the drawers, Shuichi looked at the floor to ceiling bookcase behind the desk.

He saw knickknacks, and a globe and, well, books. No box.

Shuichi peered through the shelves he could reach, hoping to find a lever or a button or something that would lead to a hidden niche, or drawer or wall pocket. Nothing…and no box.

Shit! I don't even know what kind of box I'm looking for. He stared at the bookcase.

Then it hit him. Tohma had had a box on the desk the afternoon he'd arrived. It was a small box. Red. Rectangular. He'd been petting it like a kitten. He'd put it in a drawer when he'd taken out paper to write his makeshift contract.

"It's red!" he said out loud. "That's what I'm looking for!"

"Indeed, Mr. Shindou. It _is_ red."

Shuichi spun around, knocking books off the shelf in the process.

Tohma and Sakano stood on the other side of the desk watching him.

Tohma was smiling and in his hands he held a small, rectangular red box. He was petting it like a kitten.

To his side Sakano was holding a large sword. It was unsheathed. It was sharp. And it was pointing at Shuichi.

Tohma held out the box. "Is this what you're looking for?"

* * *

**End Chapter 6: The Box**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: The Pact**

**

* * *

**

Shuichi slumped against the bookcase. "Yes, I imagine that'd be it." His heart fell, his head hurt and his body was weary. He hadn't even heard the sneaky bastards open the door.

"Would you be so kind as to have as seat, Mr. Shindou?"

Sakano pointed to a chair with the sword.

"Sure. I got nothing better to do," Shuichi said. He came from behind the desk and placed himself in a chair…as far away from the sword as he could get.

Sakano sat in the other chair and casually sat the sword on his lap.

Tohma sat in his chair behind the desk.

"How did you get the key to the study, Mr. Shindou? I know Eiri didn't give it to you."

Shuichi paused. "I found it."

Tohma laughed. "Excellent! Mr. Shindou, you don't know it, but you've been a surprise a minute since you've arrived. It's been vexing, yes, but never dull."

"Well, you did bring me here to entertain." Shuichi held his head.

"Indeed I did." Tohma saw pain play across Shu's face. "I imagine you have a terrible headache right about now, yes? Mr. Sakano would you be so kind as to fix Mr. Shindou a remedy?"

Sakano hesitated, keeping the sword on his lap.

"Don't worry. I am sure Mr. Shindou has no plans to go anywhere at the moment. And even if he did, he couldn't. The drug in the wine I plied him with last night would bring down a horse if it drank enough."

Sakano took the sword with him to the liquor cabinet and prepared the powder and water.

"And even after that, Mr. Shindou, if you could leave, you wouldn't. Not in this state. Not with me holding the thing most dear to you in the palm of my hand." Tohma tapped the box.

"I don't even know what that is," Shuichi said. "Although, if it has something to do with Eiri, I sincerely doubt you'd do anything to it." Shuichi snatched the drink from Sakano and drank it down without fear or hesitation.

"After all, I'm not the only person in this room who finds Eiri most dear," he added nastily after he'd finished. He shoved the glass back at Sakano.

"Be a dear, won't you?"

Tohma shook his head in amazement. "You never cease to surprise me, Mr. Shindou."

Shuichi was tired. His head hurt. He was certain he wasn't going to live through the day. And despite all of his efforts, his friends and Eiri were no better off than when he'd come. In fact, now, because of him, they just might be a lot worse off than when they started.

"Can we just cut through the pleasantries and tell me what you're going to do with me?"

"Don't you mean to ask when I'm going to kill you, Mr. Shindou?" Tohma shot back immediately.

"Well, I was rather hoping you weren't going to be so negative about it."

Tohma laughed. "You can relax, Mr. Shindou. I have no intentions of killing you. Yet. I need you for a while longer and as long as you have value to me, you live. It's just that simple."

"Need me for what?" Shuichi was curious in spite of himself.

"I need you to solve several mysteries that've occurred since your arrival. I've tried to figure them out on my own and must confess, I'm no closer to an answer than when I began."

Shu snorted. "Whassamatter? Foresight not fore seeing?"

Tohma's smile evaporated.

"You would do well to keep your cheek in check, Mr. Shindou. You're not out of the woods yet. Not by a long shot."

"Why did you drug me last night?" Shu tried to redirect Tohma's sudden anger.

"I wanted answers to some of the aforementioned mysteries. Unfortunately, things took a turn for the…interesting before I could get a chance to question you."

"And the first night?"

"Yes, the wine was drugged then too, however, I didn't know then how much of a role you were about to play. I don't think you knew then either."

Shuichi blushed. "Why didn't you just ask me?"

Tohma frowned. "Come now, Mr. Shindou. Knowing what you know, would you have played my little game?"

Shu thought about it. "Probably not."

"There you go then."

"But everyone drank the same wine. How come nobody else was affected?"

"Well," answered Tohma, "the others have built up a tolerance to it. When they first arrived, I plied them with it as well to control them. Unfortunately, that particular drug, while most effective when it's working, doesn't take much to build a tolerance against. Anything stronger would've killed them and that would've ruined all my fun."

"Too bad for you," Shuichi mumbled.

"So I've had to resort to other means of control. As for me," Tohma added, "I'm immortal. Even a drug such as that one rolls off me like water."

Shu's heart sank even further. He really is immortal. What the hell am I going to do?

Tohma gestured to Sakano who shoved a piece of paper in front of Shuichi.

Shu looked at it and felt his stomach lurch. Shit, it just kept getting worse! It was the Demon King's poem that Mika had given him.

"Do you know what that is?" asked Tohma.

Shu sighed heavily. "Yes, it's the pact set forth to the House of Seguchi by the Demon King himself."

"No, imbecile, it's a copy. That's the copy Mika Uesugi gave you when you met with her and our cycloptic friend K the night Mr. Sakano came to fetch you."

Shuichi went cold.

Tohma smiled. "Yes, Mr. Shindou, I know all about Mika Uesugi's attempt to free her brothers. I also know that K has healed from his ordeal and now seeks a way to retrieve his lover and his ward along with a little vengeance for his eye."

Tohma reached in his desk and retrieved one of the books—the ledger that Shuichi had seen earlier. Tohma opened the book and withdrew a thick piece of parchment. He slid it across the desk to Shuichi. Shuichi looked at it.

It too was a copy of the Demon King's poem. This one however, was written with elaborate script in red ink.

Shuichi picked it up. PAIN! The minute he touched the paper, pain burned through him.

FLASH! A tree.

FLASH! A rope.

FLASH! A knife.

Shuichi blinked and gasped breathlessly.

"How very interesting," murmured Tohma.

"What IS this thing?" asked Shuichi looking down at it.

"That, dear boy, is the true copy of the poem. The one written by the Demon King himself. Written in blood…on human skin."

"EWWW!" Shuichi recoiled and dropped the 'paper.'

"Don't worry, it wasn't someone you know." Tohma said as Sakano picked up the sheet and gave it back to him. "The skin anyway…"

Shuichi looked at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Tohma ignored the question. "Notice anything different about the original?"

The skin anyway…the way he said it made Shu shiver. He looked back at the paper.

"It's written in a different script."

"And?"

"It's written in blood on human skin!" The revulsion in Shu's voice was evident.

"Not just the obvious differences! Look at the poem itself. What's there that isn't in your copy?"

Shu compared the copies side by side. It was the same as far as he could…oh!

The last stanza, the one that dealt with the west rose line on his copy was written in normal script. On the original, however, the entire thing was written in upper case letters.

_DO NOT CROSS THE WEST ROSE LINE..._

_NOR ANY LEAF UPON ITS TREE..._

_LEST ALL OUR DEALS COME UNDONE..._

_AND PAYMENT COME DUE FOR ETERNITY..._

"The last stanza is written in all upper case letters."

"Correct!" Tohma beamed.

"Why?" Shuichi was confused. "What difference does that make?"

"All the difference in the world. And you're about to see it!"

The clock struck noon.

Shuichi looked up at the massive clock, which chimed just as he and Tohma and Sakano and his drawn sword were passing it. Its great brass pendulum swung back and forth with morbid precision. Abruptly doors that Shu hadn't noticed before situated just below the clock face, popped open. Out popped a wooden maiden marionette and behind her a red devil marionette. She ran in a circle from the devil with the demon hot on her heels, hands out stretched in an eternal reach for his prey. The two figures revolved on a spindle and made a complete revolution in and out of the clock, once for each chime.

The clock was oppressive enough, but this display, all things considered, Shuichi just found grotesque.

"Cute isn't it?" Tohma asked.

He _would_ think it's cute, Shu thought.

"After I told Mr. Sakano about my…unique situation, he bought it as a gift for me during one of his many overseas journeys in my employ."

Tohma leaned down and whispered conspiratorially in Shu's ear. "He has a terrible preoccupation with time."

"I heard that!" Sakano said. "Speaking of, let's keep moving. Time is fleeting and waits for no man."

* * *

_Do not cross the line of roses..._

_To the north, by the sea..._

_Lest you lose your prescient sight..._

_And never again the future see…_

_

* * *

_

It was very breezy at the edge of the north cliff face. The sea far below was being driven in whitecaps toward the rocky beach that outlined the end of the land.

Shu looked up. The sky was overcast and gray. The way things looked, they were going to be due for a storm before long.

Behind him he could see the house in the near distance.

In front of him stood a long line of beautiful, astonishingly white rose bushes. They let off a sweet fragrance that might have been soothing had a big, sharp sword not been pointing at his back.

Shuichi turned to Sakano. "Must you? It's not like I'm going anywhere."

Tohma smiled and shook his head again. "Amazing." He turned to Sakano. "He's right you know. We can be civilized can't we?"

Sakano grumbled and put the sword away. He looked very disappointed.

Tohma turned to Shuichi. "This is the north line of roses, the one that's mentioned in the first stanza of the poem. Beautiful aren't they? They are the whitest things I've ever seen—even more white than the purest snow. This is one of the colors of the original Orishii crest and to my knowledge this color rose has never been duplicated anywhere else in the world."

Tohma bent to smell one of the large blooms. "That was the genius of the Orishii. They were famed far and wide for these wondrous creations. Even the Emperor spoke highly of them. Yet, in spite of their horticultural talents and wealth, it was the pact that made their name famous. Before that they were just known as 'The Rose Family.' It wasn't until they'd been immortalized by the infamy of my bargain that the name Orishii even became known, let alone associated with them."

Tohma looked at Shuichi. "I made them famous by destroying them. Isn't it ironic?"

Shuichi answered back. "Don'tcha think?"

Tohma laughed and continued. "The roses form a box all around the property. This line of roses stretches all the way to the eastern boundary of the property to the right and to the western edge on the left. Just past where each rose line ends and just before the other begins, there's a small break that's large enough for me to comfortably walk through. I never have of course, being that if I did, I'd lose one of my gifts—this one being future sight. But the paths are there nonetheless, just to remind me that there's a way out of it all if I should want it."

Tohma smiled at Shuichi. "The Demon King is an insult to injury kind of fellow."

"At any rate, my sight comes in the form of dreams that I must interpret. Over the years I've become an expert at it, with an accuracy rate of 100 percent. I've used my prescience to promote the name of Seguchi. I've used it to gain fortune by pre-guessing events, as well as knowing valuable information and getting it to the correct hands. People send messengers from far and wide to get a glimpse of the future. Will war break out? Will war end? Will my adversary seek election to office against me? The list is endless."

"I have also used it for myself. To know when danger is coming. To know when I should strike to head off that danger. To recognize danger in its many forms when it arrives." He looked at Shuichi.

"I'm talking about you, of course. I knew you were coming before you even knew it. My sight told me all about you. Where to find you. When to find you." He smiled. "It even told me what you looked like."

He stopped smiling.

"What it doesn't tell me is why you're able to do the things you're doing to my house. I cannot see why it is that Eiri has taken such an interest in you when he absolutely should not be. It does not tell me why Hiro and Tatsuha do the things they do when _they_ absolutely should not be. Most of all, it doesn't tell me why these things have begun to happen with your arrival. Perhaps you could enlighten me?"

Shuichi shook his head. "I don't know," he answered honestly. "I really don't. As far as I can tell, I'm not doing anything I don't normally do."

He looked away. "Orgy not withstanding."

Tohma frowned. "I see. Shall we?"

* * *

_Do not cross the line of roses..._

_To the east, beyond the lake..._

_Lest your captured heart break free..._

_And never again their love to take…_

_

* * *

_

They saddled horses for the next leg of their journey and they rode to the east in silence, across open pastures, up grassy knolls and through the beginnings of a forest.

While they rode, Shuichi looked around. He didn't know the area well enough to try to make a run for it, but he kept his eyes peeled for an opening just the same. In the meantime, he wondered about Sakano.

Sakano rode just beside him (also discouraging a break for it). As far as Shu could tell, he wasn't being controlled. At least not like the others. Sakano's eyes were clear and sharp and he came and went seemingly at will. He wondered if he was under another kind of control. Exactly what part did Sakano play in all of this?

"No, Mr. Sakano is not under my control." Tohma called back without looking.

Oh My God, thought Shuichi, can this bastard read minds too?

"No, I can't read your mind, Mr. Shindou." Shu heard the smile in his voice. "It's only logical that you should wonder about him."

"I'm here of my own free will," Sakano said. It was the first time he'd spoken directly to him since Shuichi had arrived.

"So you believe in all this Demon King, immortality, pact business?" Shu asked.

"Don't you?"

"I do now. He's evil. He consorts with Demon Kings. Don't you find that the least bit disturbing?"

"I find it all fascinating."

"But why?" Shuichi pressed. "Why would you help someone like him keep innocent people captive for his amusement?"

"Because if I were to find myself in the same position, I'd do it too. Besides, it pleases me to do so." Sakano finished shortly, ending any further questioning.

Shu shut up. So much for possibly enlisting his aid to help us.

They rode on in silence.

A short while later they entered a clearing, in the midst of which was a large, natural lake. They rode around the lake, near the tree line, at the edge of which, Shuichi could see the north line of white roses.

At the end of the north line was a path just as Tohma had said that led outside of the box. On the other side of that path was the beginning of the east side of the box. It was made up of a long line of deep Bordeaux red colored roses that ran south along the eastern edge of the property.

"As you might have guessed, this is the east line of roses. Again, this is a color of the Orishii and now the Seguchi standard and this color can only be found in a rose on this property in all the world. If I cross this line, then Eiri, my love, goes free and I can never again recapture him."

A pang hit Shu's heart.

"What's in that box, Mr. Seguchi? That box is the same color as those roses."

"How very astute of you, Mr. Shindou! Yet again I am impressed!"

Tohma withdrew the box from his riding coat.

"This box contains Eiri Uesugi's heart."

Shu shrank in horror.

"Not his physical heart, you oaf, the essence of it! The heart of his heart you might say. The thing that makes the physical muscle beat faster at the sight of beauty. The thing that makes it ring and sing for a person in particular. The thing that allows one to love and be loved in return. That is what's in this box. It's actually a part of the soul. Without it the soul cannot function wholly. It will return time and time again to try to rejoin itself to that part of it which is missing."

"Why do you need that when you can just control him with a ring or bracelets like the others? What do you need that for when you've got jewelry?"

"Because I don't just want to control Eiri's body. I want him lock, stock and barrel. I want his mind, his body, his soul and most of all his heart. He was not willing to give it to me freely, so I took it. The contents of this box are what keep Eiri by my side, no matter the year, no matter the body. When the body you've grown to know so intimately (Shu blushed furiously) dies, his soul will come to me in the next body it wears. It will seek out the missing part of itself and stay close to it, which of course is where I am. Get it?"

Tohma stroked the box gently. "It's really quite a clever set up. The others do not love me. And I do not care. But since I can't have them running about willy nilly, I use the bracelets to control them. They are creatures with no memory of their lives before they came to live with me or will of their own."

At this Tohma frowned. "Correction. They _used_ to have no will of their own. Since you've arrived, I've noticed a distinct difference in that particular aspect."

On his horse, he leaned toward Shuichi. "Why is that? What is it about you that makes them able to defy the control of the bracelets?"

Shuichi thought about it. Tohma didn't realize they could do it before he came! He vowed not to give away their secret.

"Maybe it's because I'm so cute."

Tohma gave him a hard, cold look. "I need answers Mr. Shindou. You need to live. Think about that."

He turned his horse around began to ride back west.

"The ring Eiri wears only controls his body. Make no mistake, Mr. Shindou, he loves me. I have that love here in my hands, so when he says it, he most certainly means it. What I want to know is why he's so interested in you? What is it about you that compels him to defy me to try to help you? Think about that and get back with me."

Shuichi didn't know what he felt most at that moment--sadness or anger.

* * *

_Do not cross the line of roses..._

_That due south, guards family..._

_Lest you gain your mortal core..._

_And reign immortal nevermore…_

_

* * *

_

"This is the south line of roses."

Shuichi saw where the eastern red line met the southern yellow line. Shiny, deep gold roses, almost the color of gold coins, met burgundy with a path clearly separating the two. The south line of the rose line box ran east and west, parallel to the north line, Shu noted as they rode beside it. He also realized that they were touring the lines in a logical counter clockwise rotation rather than the criss-cross order the actual poem took.

Running parallel to the southern line was a series of headstones and grave markers. Shuichi could see from the dates displayed on some that they went back hundreds of years.

"What you are seeing is the House of Seguchi cemetery. This is the family that the poem refers to that the southern line guards. Many heads of state, ambassadors, advisors and cabinet members to the Emperor, and just as many other important and wealthy men and women of power that I can't even begin to remember lay to rest here. As you already know, if I cross this line, I will lose my immortality."

"What's it like, immortality?" asked Shuichi. He couldn't imagine being alive for so long that all of his family and friends died time and time again before his eyes. He didn't feel sorry for Tohma, but he did at least understand his loneliness. A little bit, at least.

"That's a surprising question," Tohma responded quietly. He thought for a minute.

"After awhile, a couple hundred years or so, it's nothing at all—just another thing. After having lived as long as I have, food all tastes the same. Sex all feels the same. The days all look the same. The nights all seem the same. The only burn I feel is my love for Eiri. And now, of course, my curiosity about you. So you can see how valuable you really are to me."

Shuichi blanched. Tohma continued.

"At first, I was elated. Well, no, at first I was a bit scared. I couldn't believe that I was truly immortal. I ran from swords and fights just like any sane mortal man. Then my invulnerability was proven to me when a person I cared for got a little too close to me…with a knife!"

Tohma smiled sadly. "That was one of the first Eiri's that ever came to me. Before I devised the jewelry to control the body. He loved me. But he hated what I was doing to him. He figured he could live with the pain of losing the love of his life more than he could live with the pain of being controlled like he was. One night after making love, he slipped me more than a goodnight kiss."

Tohma laughed out loud.

"You should have seen the look on his face when I woke up and asked him what the hell was he trying to do? Kill me?" Tohma cracked up loudly. "I had a KNIFE STICKING OUT OF MY HEART and I asked him if he was trying to kill me!"

He wiped tears from his eyes. "The poor bastard died from shock instantly." He sighed. "I really miss that Eiri. His name was actually Ari, but it was Eiri nonetheless. It was because of him that I realized that I did not have possession of his entire soul or his entire mind. That while the body might love me, the mind and soul knew better. I was upset at first, but then I realized that it wasn't something I'd bargained for in the contract with the Demon King. I had asked for love, not a soul or a brain. And that's what I got. That's all I got. What'd I tell you? Insult to injury! It was after that that I came up with the ring. Then when his brother and sister started showing up, I used the same principle to create the bracelets. Oh, the memories!"

Shuichi slowed his horse and rode closer to Sakano after that. At least Sakano was honest about his dementia. Tohma, Shuichi concluded, was completely mad.

* * *

_DO NOT CROSS THE WEST ROSE LINE... _

_NOR ANY LEAF UPON ITS TREE..._

_LEST ALL OUR DEALS COME UNDONE..._

_AND PAYMENT COME DUE FOR ETERNITY…_

_

* * *

_

"Ah, here we are at last." Tohma stopped the group beside the line of pink roses that made up the western side of the rose box that surrounded the Seguchi property. They were very near the gate, which made Shuichi wonder nervously if he could make a break for it. They were also perilously close to the tree and the rope that hung from its branches. Shu deliberately tried to ignore that tree and the rope, yet still, he could feel their presence settling over him like a heavy cloak.

He concentrated on the roses instead. This line was different from the others. While they were lovely to look at and filled the air with a pleasant fragrance, these roses were not the large full-bloomed beauties their fellow roses were. These roses were small and had petals that looked slightly crooked. The pink wasn't the glossy jewel tone he'd seen in the previous flowers but rather a soft, dusky rose that reminded him of early evening sunsets. He could also see that the line of bushes, which ran down the hill and out of sight wasn't straight. It was obviously crooked and disjointed in places.

"Notice anything peculiar about these roses, Mr. Shindou?" Tohma asked.

Shuichi repeated what he'd just observed.

"That's correct. These roses are very different from the others. You see, Mr. Shindou, the other roses are ones the Demon King himself caused to spring up from the ground once the pact was sealed. He simply waved his hand and they erupted from the soil, perfect full-bloomed specimens. One line for each of the three colors that made up the Orishii crest. Again with the insult and the injury. Those roses are also indestructible. Oh, Mr. Shindou, you'd have to see it to believe it, but those roses bloom year round, in even the harshest weather. Their petals never fall. Their branches never bend. Their blooms never wither and die."

Tohma shook his head. "You can't pull them up either. Hell, you can't even set fire to them. I've tried both."

He gestured to the roses by their side. "These on the other hand do wilt and die. They lose their petals. And as you mentioned before the line of bushes is very crooked."

He looked at Shuichi. "Yet for all their seemingly frailness, these too are very hardy. While I can pull them up, set fire to them, knock them over and cut them down, they continue to spring up. I can haul the whole lot away and burn them to ash and the next morning, the entire line will be right back where they were with the same crooks and imperfections that were there before I started, right down to the last stem."

He leaned in. "And do you have any idea why, Mr. Shindou?"

Shuichi looked at the fragile looking blooms. They didn't look like they were capable of withstanding a strong breeze let alone what Tohma had just told him.

"No."

"Really, you don't know?" Tohma looked at him carefully. "Have you not realized that they are pink and there is no pink within the Seguchi, therefore Orishii, family crest?"

As a matter of fact, Shuichi hadn't realized it.

"As I said before, the Demon King is truly an insulting fellow. He would have certainly retained the mocking theme he used with the rest of the roses, perhaps making the final line a mixture of the white and red and gold, or something like that, don't you think?"

"I suppose," Shuichi answered slowly.

"So why do you think he made them this ungodly color?"

Something dark was nagging Shuichi.

"I don't know."

"You don't, really?" Tohma watched him closely. "It's because the Demon King didn't make these roses. In fact, these roses have nothing to do with the rules of the pact at all."

That surprised Shu. "They don't?" He looked around, avoiding the tree. "Then what is the west rose line that makes the fourth boundary?"

Tohma smiled. "Why Mr. Shindou, I am surprised that you haven't figured it out yet." He paused. "Or have you and the answer you found hurts you too much to speak it?"

Sakano sat on his horse and watched quietly.

Tohma dismounted, then gestured for Shu to follow. He did. Tohma then put his hands on Shuichi's shoulders and slowly turned him toward the tree. Shuichi tried to look away. Tohma wrenched his head back, forcing him to look at it.

"Don't you see it, Mr. Shindou?" He bent and spoke softly, almost whispering in Shu's ear. "Don't you see the true west rose line?"

Shu was beginning to sweat. He tried again to look away. Again Tohma wrenched him back into place.

"The rope, Mr. Shindou. The rope that hangs from the tree."

Almost involuntarily, Shu's eyes slid toward that rope. He followed the old and fraying line from the branch where it was tied all the way down to the cut end. It swung loosely in the humid, pre-storm breeze. Almost before his eyes, the already overcast sky, darkened ominously.

Shuichi couldn't look away. He felt sick. He was beginning to have trouble breathing. The symptoms he experienced the day he'd arrived, when he'd first seen the tree, came back tenfold. He sagged against Tohma behind him for support.

"Ah, perhaps you do know the answer and just don't understand it." Tohma took Shu's arm. "Let me help you understand it."

He dragged Shu through the bushes to stand right under the tree, directly under the rope. Shu's knees buckled and Tohma dragged him upright and shoved him against the rough bark of the trunk.

FLASH! Screams.

FLASH! The rope.

FLASH! Burning, painful wetness.

FLASH! "WHO DARES CALL THE DEMON KING KAA—"

Shu cried out and Tohma pinned him against the trunk.

"Do you understand now, Mr. Shindou—Shuichi? Do you know now why these roses are that terrible pink color?"

"No," Shu was starting to wretch and gag. He was going to be sick. He couldn't breath. His neck burned…

"Where else have you seen such a color?"

Shu gasped, trying to catch air.

Tohma slammed him against the trunk and snatched a lock of hair from his head.

Shu cried out in pain. Tohma held the torn strands up to his face.

"See anything you recognize, Shuichi?" He narrowed his eyes. "Or should I say, Junishi?"

Shu couldn't speak. He couldn't breath and he was bleeding fiercely. Bleeding from the gash in his throat! He moved his hands to staunch the flow. He could feel the blood, hot and sticky, flow over his hands and drip down his arms.

"I'm bleeding…" he croaked.

Tohma smiled. "Now you get it. You're not bleeding, Shuichi. Junishi is. He's bleeding from the wound I opened with my knife after I slit his throat from ear to ear."

Shu's breath was coming in short, painful gasps. He opened his mouth to speak but found he couldn't.

"_DO NOT CROSS THE WEST ROSE LINE_…the poem says. Not west line of roses, like the other stanzas. This is the true west rose line, Junishi. The rope above you where I hanged you. The line that hanged the Pink Rose of the Rose Family."

"…_NOR ANY LEAF UPON ITS TREE..._ This tree and the rope together make up the west rose line, which conveniently sits on the one road that leads to and from the estate! Insult, to injury, to insult! Junishi you and you alone caused these roses, these pink abominations to spring forth! And they keep springing forth, no matter what I do, just like you clung to life even after I hanged you! I cut your broken body down, slit your throat and used your blood to seal the pact. And wherever a drop of your blood fell a rose sprang forth. And ever after, you keep springing forth, coming back to torment me! Coming back to haunt me! Year after FUCKING YEAR, you turn up here, different body, different face and no matter how much I kill you, you still come back! And now you come back again, Junishi, only this time with those eyes and that hair! WHY? WHY DO YOU COME NOW JUNISHI?"

Tohma slammed Shuichi forcefully against the tree.

"WHY?" Slam!

"WHY?" Slam!

"WHY?" Slam!

Shuichi coughed. He sputtered. His eyes rolled back into his head. As he went out, he remembered smiling and he actually thought he spoke, though the voice he heard was not his own.

"Because I love Ayari." The words echoed in the darkness.

* * *

**End Chapter 7: The Pact**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: Junishi**

* * *

"Wake up little _songbird_, wake up."

Shuichi heard someone talking to him from very far away. The voice was muffled and sounded flat as if it were being spoken from inside a large, empty room.

He didn't want to open his eyes.

"No, no, little one, come back to us. No more time for sleeping."

Someone shook his shoulder gently.

Slowly Shuichi came to. His blurred vision, painful, even in the soft candlelight of evening, cleared slowly, revealing two large dark eyes peering down at him from beneath a bang of pale, blonde hair.

"There you are." Tohma smiled. "Did you have a pleasant sleep, Junishi?"

That name! Being called Junishi made Shu's eyes snap the rest of the way open.

"Why do you call me that?" Shu's voice was weak. His throat hurt terribly as if a great pressure had been gripping and squeezing it, making his vocals raspy and scratchy. He felt around his neck for the rope he knew must be there. No rope. No bleeding gash. Just regular skin.

"Because that is your name. And might I say it's a relief to call you by it. Since you've come, it's all I could do to keep up with the Mr. Shindou's with you looking the way you do."

"My name is Shuichi." Shu blinked, clearing his vision a bit more. He was in the drawing room, sitting in a chair. He moved…or tried to. Correction. He was in the drawing room tied to a chair. His arms and legs were bound by rope to a chair near the cluster of conversation couches.

He looked around. Standing near him was Ryu, Tatsuha and Hiro. Ryu and Hiro were smiling at him. Tatsuha was ignoring him, preferring to look at the back of his hand instead. Shuichi looked past them. Eiri was nowhere to be seen.

"What are you going to do with me?" Shu wondered briefly why he wasn't dead already.

Tohma grinned from ear to ear. "Wonderful news, Junishi, I've decided to keep you! You've been such a magnificent diversion for me that I've decided to postpone killing you. At first I didn't think having Junishi Orishii's doppleganger hanging around would suit me, but after coming to know you, I really have gotten to like you."

He tussled Ryu's hair. "Plus our Ryuichi has taken quite a shine to you. He'd be terribly disappointed if you went away, so I've decided that you will be his new pet. Isn't that right, Ryu?"

Ryu held out a box. "Look, Shu. Tohma got you a present." He opened it. A gleaming gold cuff sat cradled inside.

"Can't have you running about trying to let the kids out as it were. So, I'm going to make you one of them. You'll live here with us. You'll entertain us. You'll be one of us. And then maybe, in time, I can discover exactly what you are."

Tohma went to Ryu and removed the cuff from the box. "You'll love it here. Every day is an adventure! Isn't that right?" He clucked Ryu softly under the chin.

"Yes!" Ryu answered enthusiastically. Tatsuha and Hiro didn't answer at all. They were busy being tangled up in a hot embrace. They kissed deeply, holding each other closely.

Tohma frowned. "Pardon me, I hate to interrupt your rather heated exchange, but could we do this first?" Slowly they broke apart. "I promise you, there'll be time enough for evening delights a little later. Delights for us ALL," he emphasized. He ran soft finger over Ryu's lips, making his point perfectly clear.

He held up the cuff. "Ready, Junishi? This won't hurt a bit."

Shu struggled against his restraints. "But Fujisaki will come for me. He will have gotten the message by now and wonder why I haven't shown up."

Tohma blinked blankly. "Message?" Then it came to him. "Oh—your booked engagement!" He laughed. "I wouldn't worry too much about that. Fujisaki never got the message in the first place. I had no intentions of letting your manager know where you were. I just wrote out that silly contract to appease you at the time. It's still sitting in my desk drawer, right where I left it."

Shu's heart dropped like a rock. Then he remembered. "No!" he said. "I left Fujisaki a note the night I left. He knows where I am. He will come for me when I don't show up for my booking. You HAVE to let me go or there will be trouble."

Tohma's brow furrowed. "Really? Mr. Sakano failed to mention that to me." He brightened. "Oh well, it doesn't matter. Even if Fujisaki turns up, you will simply tell him that you quit and that you are quite happy living here. If he persists, I'll have Mr. Sakano have a "talk" with him. That man can really be persuasive when he wants to be."

At that moment, the drawing room mantle clock chimed. "Speak of the devil, he should be back soon." A wicked note crept into his voice. "I've sent him on a little errand."

Shuichi didn't like the sound of that at all. He looked around and still didn't see Eiri.

"Where's Eiri?"

"Eiri is quite fine. He'll be joining us after I finish up this little chore." Tohma polished the cuff on the sleeve of his day shirt. "I didn't want to take the chance on you making some last ditch effort to work your spell breaking juju on him. Don't worry, you'll see him soon enough." He paused. "Tatsuha, Hiro! What did I say? Stop that!"

The two, who'd gone back to making out, stopped. "Go check Junishi's binds and make sure they're tight. I wouldn't want him to accidentally try to kick or hit me, when I go to slip the bracelet on." He smiled. "Ryu would be terribly disappointed with the outcome if that were to happen," he added nastily.

Tatsuha and Hiro did as they were told. They crossed the room and stood before Shuichi.

"Please!" Shu pleaded with his friends. "Please don't do this." He struggled against the binds. "You don't have to do this. Fight it!"

Hiro smiled. "You'll love it here, Shu."

Tatsuha smiled. "Every day is an adventure."

Hiro bent to kiss Shuichi. Shu tried to turn, but Hiro held him fast. "Join us," he said.

Tatsuha leaned in from behind and kissed Shu's neck. "Yes, Shu. Join us."

Soon they were kissing Shuichi's throat and his neck and his lips. Then they kissed each other.

Shuichi felt tears of despair closing in on him.

"Please don't…"

He felt Tatsuha checking the binds of his hands which were tied behind him. He leaned in an nuzzled Shu's ear as he did so.

"Shuichi," he murmured, "as soon as you're free, take Ryu and run."

Tatsuha switched sides and licked his neck. "Run and don't look back."

Shuichi was stunned. Suddenly his hands were loose. He kept them in place to keep up the pretense.

"Why don't you join us, Ryu?" Tatsuha said, calling the love of his life to his side one last time.

Ryu smiled and went to him. Tatsuha kissed him, deeply and longingly.

"I love you, Ryu," he whispered softly. In the same breath, he discreetly pushed something to Hiro, using Ryu's body as cover.

Shu looked down. It was the dagger! As Tatsuha pushed it to Hiro, Shu saw that the back of his hand was scratched raw. He squinted, then felt his heart begin to ache. The words "Ryu Shu Out," were crudely welted there.

Hiro leaned up and kissed Shuichi, taking the object. Hiro cut the binds of his feet, using his own body as cover.

"Gentlemen," Tohma said with faint disgust, "I realize you're excited about your new brother, but please. Time enough for everything in a bit, yes?"

Hiro finished cutting. Shuichi was free. Hiro looked up with pleading in his eyes.

Run, he mouthed. Tell K I love him. He tucked the dagger into the back of Shu's boot and stood. Tatsuha stood next to him.

Shuichi blinked back tears.

They took a deep breath.

"NOW!"

Shuichi leapt from the chair and grabbed Ryu's hand, pulling him with strength he didn't know he had. Hiro turned to block Tohma, but already his eyes were clouding over. He stood there, a dull obstacle, blocking Tohma's view.

Tohma screamed "WHAT?"

Shuichi was already heading toward the drawing room door.

Hiro turned to try to follow.

"HIRO, STOP, HIRO!"

Hiro froze into place.

Tatsuha fared a little better. He managed to get to the door with Shuichi and Ryu, using the last of his lucidity to throw the chair out of their way and snatch open the door.

He felt himself going under and bit his lip hard to prolong it the few seconds he needed to see Ryu, running away with Shu, look back at him.

He tried to follow, but his legs grew heavy. His memory faded.

"TATSUHA, STOP, TATSUHA!"

His feet as well as his fate were sealed.

Shuichi ran for all he was worth, dragging Ryu behind him. Ryu was slowing down. The spell was kicking in and causing him to drag. Shu fought it and pulled him brutally down the hallway, through the living area, past the great staircase and clock and to the front doors. Shu reached out to open them.

He could hear Tohma's rapid footsteps echoing loudly behind them.

"RYU, STOP, RYU!"

Immediately Shuichi's arm snapped taut. Ryu stopped in his tracks.

"NOOO!" He tried pulling Ryu. Nothing. He tried pushing Ryu. He wouldn't budge.

Shuichi ran around to face him, reached back and slapped him as hard as he could. A red mark stained Ryu's face where Shu's hand made contact. Tears welled in his eyes.

"Move, Ryu, MOVE! PLEASE!"

"I can't, Shu. Run. Goodbye." Ryu's head drooped as his eyes clouded. Tears fell down his cheeks.

"OH GOD, PLEASE! PLEASE HELP ME!" Shuichi sobbed and sobbed, pulling and pulling Ryu, trying with everything he had to make Ryu come with him. It was no use. It was like he was cemented to the floor.

"Very interesting, Junishi." Tohma was walking toward them from the drawing room hallway.

"Very entertaining." He continued to walk. "Where did you think you could run? Where did you think you could take them where I wouldn't find you? I've got all the time in the world to hunt you down! Did you think this thing through at all?"

He kept coming.

"GOD, GOD, PLEASE! PLEASE HELP ME!" Shuichi prayed and prayed with all his might. His tearful pleas echoed through the vast emptiness of the great room. He still had hold of Ryu. He couldn't leave him there. Not now. Not with the door so close.

"God can't hear you here, Junishi. God can't help you here either. I was going to keep you. I was going to spare you." He shook his head. "No one can help you now."

Behind Shuichi the door opened and a stormy wind blew in.

"Ah, Mr. Sakano, right on time. I…"

A hand reached in. Only, it wasn't Sakano's hand. It was a hand covered in blood that dripped on the floor as it reached out and grabbed the back of Shuichi's collar. A hand that wore a plain gold wedding band on its ring finger…

Tohma gasped out loud. "EIRI!" He opened his mouth to shout the words to halt his lover in his tracks, but the door was already closed and the space where Shuichi had been standing was empty.

For the first time in centuries, Tohma panicked…and ran.

Outside a strong wind gusted along the shoreline and swept inland, bending everything but the north line of roses, before it.

Hand in hand, Eiri and Shuichi ran. Ran like hell. Ran toward the western gate and the one and only road that led off the property. Every few feet Eiri jabbed himself with the handful of roses he carried. Even so, he was already starting to slow. He raked them down his hand and kept going.

Shuichi's heart was pounding. He could feel his legs running as fast as they could, yet he could barely feel the ground beneath his feet. He felt like they were running in place, even though he knew they weren't. They weren't going nearly fast enough and to his utter, terrified dismay, they were slowing down. His eyes darted around in the darkness trying to find their way to the western gate.

"Stay with me Eiri!" he yelled. His voice whipped away in the wind. Eiri jabbed himself again and shook his head trying to clear it.

"Leave me."

"NO! I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU!" Shu bent his head and began throwing his whole being into the tow, dragging Eiri's increasingly slowing body behind him.

"I can't make it."

"You WILL make it, even if I have to carry you out of here myself!"

He was beginning to make out the outline of the gate in the darkness.

"WE'RE ALMOST THERE!" he shouted. Even as he did, he began to feel Eiri pull against him. The spell was working much too fast.

Eiri tried jabbing his hand again. He scraped the thorns long and deep across the already shredded flesh of his hand. He felt himself slipping away.

"Please God, let us make it. Please God, let us make it, Please God, let us make it…" Shuichi prayed it over and over again, putting his entire strength into dragging Eiri who was now struggling to reverse against him.

"Go NOW!"

Eiri pushed Shuichi and let go.

Shuichi came back and dragged him another few feet.

"We've come too far. NO! Whatever happens I won't leave you."

Eiri pushed him again.

"I SAID NO!" Shuichi budged him another three or four feet. Eiri was just about to take another step when the words flew past them on the strong storm air.

"EIRI, STOP, EIRI!"

Eiri halted.

"Go."

Tohma came rushing by him. "I'll deal with you later," he hissed at Eiri as he passed.

Eiri's hand shot out and grabbed Tohma's sleeve. He held on tight.

"Run, Shuichi."

Shu struggled. If he left now, maybe he could run and find K and Mika and they could come back with weapons. He almost turned to do it, but the sight of Tohma struggling with Eiri stopped him in his tracks. Tohma twisted and turned, but no matter what he did, he couldn't get out of Eiri's grip.

"EIRI, LET GO, EIRI!" Eiri immediately let go. Tohma turned wild eyed, raised his hand and slapped Eiri soundly across the face. Eiri reeled backward from the blow.

"NOOO!" Before Shuichi could even think about what he was doing he hurled himself through the air and tackled Tohma. He rained fist after fist on Tohma's face and head and chest.

Tohma, the bigger and stronger of the two, managed to free a hand and with all his strength lashed out at Shuichi with his fist, catching him on the side of the head. Shuichi fell backward, his head spinning from the punch.

"Just let me go," Shuichi said breathlessly. "If you won't hurt Eiri and the others, I swear, I'll go and never come back. Please, just let me go."

Tohma laughed and stumbled to his feet. "You must really take me for a fool. Don't you think I know as soon as you leave here, you'll run a straight line to the Sea Rose Inn and meet up with that Uesugi Bitch and Sword Master Cyclops?"

Shuichi reeled again, this time, not from any physical blow.

Tohma stood over him and glared down. "You little fool! Did you think I wouldn't know? They've been waiting for you this whole time, waiting for news so they could continue to plot for their loved ones escape?"

Tohma smiled evilly. "They should have stayed away like I warned them last time. This time, there's no help for them. Where do you think I've sent Mr. Sakano? His little errand this evening was to pay our friends a visit."

Shuichi felt all the wind go out of him. It was all for naught. Mika and K were surely dead by now. Even if he had managed to get at least one of them out, they had nowhere to go. Tohma would find them. If not tomorrow, then the day after or the next. They'd have to live a hunted existence wherever they went and there was nowhere they could go where Tohma couldn't see.

Tohma was right. There was nowhere to run. They had no one to help them.

Anger burned hotter than the pain of his blow. Anger seeped up through Shuichi's skin and filled every cell in his body.

Tohma was going to win again. Just like he had for centuries. Just like he would for centuries to come.

Eiri would always belong to him. No matter what anyone did, no matter what Shuichi could do, he could never free the man he loved from the man he'd come to hate. Hate with a passion he'd never known.

Shuichi felt the dagger that Hiro had stuck in his boot. He felt his hand slide down the back of his leg. He felt the hilt, cold and hard in his curled fingers. He felt the heavy blade withdraw.

Without thinking, without control, without anything but sheer and utter hate, Shuichi leapt to his feet, flipped the dagger in his hand and drove it right into Tohma's heart. He kept driving it, pushing it further and further and deeper and deeper, until it would go no more.

He was dimly aware of the lightning that flashed across the sky.

He was dimly aware of Eiri sitting on the ground behind Tohma.

He was dimly aware of a scream of rage tearing itself from his throat.

The only thing that mattered to him was piercing the black heart that had caused him and those he loved so much pain.

Tohma stood there with the dagger sticking out of his chest, staring down at it in disbelief.

"What the hell are you trying to do? KILL ME?" The irony of it and the story he'd related to Shu that very afternoon hit him so hard he threw back his head and laughed out loud.

"YOU'RE TRYING TO KILL ME!"

Tohma wiped tears of laughter from his eyes and sighed deeply. "What a shame." He reached out and grabbed Shu by the arm.

"Goodbye Mr. Shindou, it's been interesting to say the least."

Faster than Shuichi could blink, Tohma ripped the bloodless blade from his chest and buried it with one stroke into his heart…up to the hilt!

Shuichi blinked and looked down at the dagger in his chest. Then, he sank to his knees, tumbled forward and hit the ground next to Eiri. He lay there face down in a crumpled heap.

Gently, a pair of hands rolled him over.

Shuichi lay on his back, looking up at the stormy night sky.

"It's supposed to be filled with stars," he said faintly.

He couldn't hear sounds anymore. He couldn't feel the wind on his skin anymore. The only thing he could hear and feel was the heavy shuddering of his heart, struggling against the point buried deeply within it. Each shudder caused the hilt of the dagger to shake.

A pair of amber colored eyes looked down at him.

Shu tried to speak, but was having difficulty forming words. They came slowly and painfully.

"Seems…unfair…" Am I still speaking, wondered Shuichi? "Just when…I…found…you…I…lost…you…"

Eiri brushed the hair covering Shu's glazing eyes out of the way.

"I'm…not…sorry…" Shu tried to smile. He could barely make Eiri out.

"I…found…my…dream…"

Eiri watched the shallow breaths decrease and slow. He saw Shu's eyes fix on his and stay there. He saw the shuddering hilt growing still.

"I…" Blood trickled from Shu's lips.

"l..ov…e" Those bloody lips formed a faint smile.

"………" Eiri saw Shuichi's chest stutter then fall.

The dagger fell still.

And finally giving what it had promised all day, the sky opened up and began to cry.

* * *

**End Chapter 8: Junishi**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: The After, the Beginning and the After the Beginning**

* * *

"How touching." Tohma stood behind Eiri watching the whole exchange.

"Don't worry, pet. He'll turn up again, sooner or later." Tohma sighed. "He always does."

He held out his hand. "Come along, Eiri."

Eiri didn't move. He sat with Shuichi on the ground, in the rain.

Tohma raised a brow in disbelief. "Even now with the brat gone, you still defy me?" He did a quick check.

"Who do you love?"

Instant smile. "I love you."

Tohma smiled in relief. The Red Lion had won. "How much do you love me?"

Eiri looked up at him. "With all my heart." Eiri stood and took Tohma's hand.

Together they turned to go into the house and almost ran smack into Sakano who was standing quietly behind them.

His glasses were streaked with rain and his hair was askew and matted over his head. He held his gold pocket watch open in one hand. And on his face was the largest, widest grin Tohma had ever seen on the man. It was an alarming sight to say the least.

"Mr. Sakano! When did you get here?"

"A few minutes ago." He looked past Tohma. "Is that Mr. Shindou?"

Tohma didn't even look back. "Yes. I didn't see you come through gate."

Sakano grinned even wider. "I didn't come through gate." He laughed out loud and walked over to Shuichi.

Tohma and Eiri turned to see him standing over Shu's body, grinning from ear to ear.

"Is he dead?" he asked happily.

"Yes." Tohma grew puzzled. "You _did_ go on your little errand, didn't you?" The last thing he needed was another surprise that evening. He hoped K and Mika were somewhere with Junishi at that point. He certainly didn't feel like having them sneak up on him right now with the way his day had gone.

"Yes, I went." Sakano nudged Shu with his foot. "Wow, he really is dead."

Tohma grew steadily more confused. "And? Did you carry out your mission?"

"Hmm? Oh, no, they weren't there." He was still looking down at Shuichi. "That's an awful big knife that boy has stuck in him." He glanced over at Tohma. "And you put it there, didn't you?"

Tohma frowned. "I don't have the time or the strength for games this evening, Mr. Sakano and frankly neither do you. I need you to dispose of Mr. Shindou. Do it however you please. Then keep yourself handy. By the night's end, there will be two more bodies to dispose of."

"Come Eiri, let's get out of the…Mr. Sakano! What on earth are you doing?"

Sakano had stooped to a kneel beside Shuichi and was roughly rifling through his pockets.

"Looking for money," he answered absently. He came up empty. "Don't tell me you didn't pay him either?"

"Have you taken to robbing the dead?" Tohma was back to being puzzled. He didn't understand what was going on with Sakano, but it was making him nervous. "Don't I pay you enough?"

Sakano laughed out loud. "It's not money I want you fool!"

Tohma jerked back as if he'd been slapped. He'd never been addressed with anything less than total fealty and the utmost respect from Sakano. His elation at having the whole ordeal over and done with was slowly dissolving and threads of his dream from the night before began weaving their way through his consciousness.

"Do you remember who you're talking to? Explain yourself at once!"

"I should be asking you that question, Tohma Seguchi. Do you remember who YOU'RE talking to?" Sakano stood and faced Tohma. He was back to smiling.

Tohma looked at him blankly, his long dark lashes coated with the fat drops of rain that were falling heavily from the storm which roiled overhead.

Lightning flashed and thunder sounded.

"No?" Sakano clucked softly. "Let me give you a hint." He waved his hand. Abruptly the dagger that was still buried in Shuichi's chest, jumped up, withdrawing itself with unseen force and then, with just a glance, Sakano flicked his eyes to Tohma. The dagger followed the unspoken command with gusto and flew through the night air, piercing the wet veil of rain as it went. It slammed into Tohma's chest with such force it picked him up off his feet and flung him to the ground.

Tohma gasped and blinked. He felt no pain…wait… a slow burn was creeping its way through his body.

"What's going on?"

Suddenly the storm and Eiri and Shuichi's body vanished and he was instantly back to the infamous night so very long ago.

It was a midsummer night and the sky was ladened with dazzling stars and a full bright moon that washed everything in its glow. He stood in a rose garden, surrounded by the heavy blossoms and thick fragrance of jewel tone white, Bordeaux and shiny gold coin colored flowers.

Tohma looked down. In his hands he held a thick black book of dark magic, passed down to him from his grandmother, a witch seer from one of the northern nomadic tribes that had come down from the mountains long ago.

He was angry. He was watching. He was waiting. There!

A young man stepped onto the garden path. He wore a dark colored hitatare with billowing skirt like pant legs and flowing sleeves of a matching top about which was slung a sheathed sword. Eschewing the favorable topknot, his raven-colored hair was swept up into a high ponytail and he had long bangs that framed his stunningly handsome face. The ponytail flicked about as he looked around. Even from this distance, Tohma could see his piercing hazel eyes cutting through the moonlight.

Tohma's heart quickened. Ayari! Ayari had come for him!

He moved to join him when someone else stepped onto the path. A small, slight figure dressed in a dark violet kimono. Long rose-colored hair fell softly about the figure's slender shoulders. It moved with lithe grace toward Ayari.

"Junishi, you came!" Ayari moved to sweep Junishi into a hug. Junishi turned away.

"I almost did not. Why did you call me this night?" His soft voice was sad and full of hurt.

"What do you mean? I sent for you so we could be together this beautiful eve." He paused. "Did you not want to come?"

"Not if it means I am your second choice." Junishi's head bent with sorrow. "I know that you are in love with Tohma. Tell me with your own lips and I will leave."

Ayari cocked his head to the side. "Tohma? Seguchi? Whatever madness has possessed that head you wear! What love is it that I have for Tohma Seguchi?"

Junishi looked up. "But Tohma himself has said…"

Ayari sighed and gathered Junishi up into his arms. Junishi didn't resist.

"Tohma Seguchi has filled your pretty head with lies. It is he that lusts after me. What could a serving boy from a wretched northern witch clan possibly offer me, when I have you?" Ayari kissed Junishi's hand. "Most noble, most regal…most lovely."

"Then you do not love Tohma?" Junishi's voice was full of hope.

"No, I do not."

"Then what is it you want from me? My lands, my wealth, my family's power?"

Ayari shook his head. "If you had nothing, I would still want you. If you were not Orishii, I would still think you as lovely as a rose. If you had no coin to your name I would still want you to sing for me, my little songbird."

Ayari leaned down.

"Then, you do want me?" Junishi's large violet eyes quivered with emotion, reflecting Ayari and the full moon behind him.

Ayari smiled and tapped Junishi on the head. "Want you? You slow child! When did I ever say that I did not? Junishi…Junishi…I love you, Junishi." He reached for his lover, his hands beckoning Junishi in the darkness. Junishi went and Ayari pulled him close and tilted his head upward for a kiss…

Behind them, Tohma seethed with rage. Ayari was his! He had offered himself body and soul to Ayari and now, to hear him mock such a gift--such callousness! What could a serving boy from a wretched northern witch clan offer him? What indeed! Tohma slept on a pallet in the kitchen while Junishi Orishii slept in a magnificent canopied bed overlooking the gardens. He ate meager, plain meals from an old wooden bowl while Junishi Orishii ate the rich, elegant meals his, Tohma's own mother, prepared for him every day, from plates and bowls of fine china ringed in gold.

The Seguchis were descended from the most magnificent witch clan the north world had ever known. Awesome and terrible had been their power before being driven out by the armies that brandished the new ways, the new religion. Before then, the skies had obeyed their every command, the very ground trembled at their passing. Even the gods themselves knew the name Seguchi. And now what? Poor and penniless, without even a brass coin to their name, let alone silver or gold, the Seguchis had been reduced to serving the dogs of the new age!

Why should I continue to lap at the feet of my new masters as if it has been pre-ordained for me to do so? Why can I not sup at the Table of Life like the Orishii and the other families of power that control the land and rule fate? Why must I sit like an eager cur, desperate for scraps they carelessly toss behind? I shall take back what was ours and make the name Seguchi known again. I will take what I want and shape this world into what I make it.

And I will start with the thing I want most! That thing for which I burn. That thing that haunts my nights and shadows my days, yet will not come to me. I shall show you, Ayari. Wait but a moment and see true what it is a Seguchi can do.

What could a northern witch clan boy offer him indeed…

With trembling hands, he opened his grandmother's book to the page he'd marked.

He closed his eyes.

He gathered his will.

He spoke the forbidden words.

Instantly there was a great wind that gusted through the garden, scattering rose petals violently through the air, causing them to shower down like fragrant rain.

Beside him, Tohma felt immense heat and smelled the sickening stench of death.

There was a scream.

"WHO DARES CALL THE DEMON KING KAANOS?"

Tohma blinked. Rain poured into his eyes and water streamed across his face from his soaked hair as he lay in the mud on the ground, with a dagger buried in his heaving chest.

Sakano was looking down at him, grinning.

"Sakano?"

Sakano raised a finger and traced glowing letters of flame in the air.

**S A K A N O**

They re-arranged themselves like fiery marching ants.

**K A A N O S**

Tohma went white with fear.

Sakano touched the finger to Tohma's forehead. Tohma screamed. It felt like a red hot poker burning a hole through his brain.

"Gone is your prescient sight."

Sakano held out his hand. The red box that held Eiri's heart sparkled into existence on his palm. The box clicked open and out flew a tiny red ball of light.

"NOOO!" Tohma screamed around the pain in his head. " I BEG OF YOU, NOOO!"

The light flew to Eiri and drove itself into his chest. Eiri heaved and gasped for air at the contact. Panting heavily he found that he could feel the rain on his skin. He could feel the cold, wetness of it hitting him and sliding off his face. He could feel the wind on his face. He could see colors brighter and more vividly than he had in many months.

"Gone is your love," Sakano said.

He pointed his finger at Tohma's body. "Your immortality…that I let you keep...for now. Consider it a wedding present for my new bride." And when Sakano grinned, he revealed a double row of pointed, needle sharp teeth that sprang out crookedly from his gums. His eyes glowed red with pleasure.

"Bride?" Tohma shook all over.

"Yes," Sakano's voice was now heavy and rumbling. He spoke slowly and haltingly, forcing his words around the teeth that were never meant for a human mouth.

"But how?" Tohma heaved, finding it difficult to breathe around the knife in his chest. "I didn't cross the west rose line!"

Sakano/Kaanos laughed evilly. "But you did, My Love. You crossed the west rose line most treacherously." He pointed a talon clawed finger at Shuichi's body.

"You broke your faith with it. You did not honor the contract you willfully and knowingly entered into with a descendant of the Rose Family that because of the House of Seguchi had settled in the west, away from the lands that were rightfully his and his descendants before him. You told him you would let him go before the weekend if he wanted to and you did not. You told him you would pay him and you did not. You, in fact, killed him. If that isn't a cross, I don't know what is."

He cradled Tohma in his arms. Tohma tried to get away, but the Demon King held him fast. "Run not, My Love, we have eternity."

"But you're mistaken! The west rose line was the tree and the rope. The poem didn't say anything about the Rose Family or their family tree—descendants of the Orishii! You LIE!"

Sakano/Kaanos shook Tohma like a rag doll. "It is YOU who are mistaken! You took the stanza literally. Did I tell you to do that? Did I ever say that all the lines were in reference to the roses? You yourself saw the THREE lines of roses I caused to spring forth from the ground. You yourself never asked where the FOURTH line was. You ASSUMED it was the tree. I even went to the trouble of writing the last stanza differently, in both verse and appearance to ensure that you knew to look at it carefully. The fact of the matter is, it never referred to anything here on the estate at all. You've lived your life of gilded cage luxury here for nothing. You could have easily walked out of that gate and past that tree and seen the world and all the places you longed for without a single, solitary consequence."

Sakano/Kaanos grinned at Eiri. "What do you know, I AM an insult to injury sort of fellow!"

Tohma tried again, desperate. "I have been cheated!" He screamed as loudly as the dagger would allow. "My prescient sight told me nothing of this! I was blinded to the danger!"

Sakano/Kaanos shook his head. "Your dreams told you everything you needed to know—especially the last one you had. The Red Lion with the broken clock heart, pierced by the dagger. The gold pocket watch sitting in the audience. The laughter. You even knew the name of the Demon King as Kaanos and your manservant as Sakano, yet you did not grasp their relation. You should have killed Shuichi after the first dream, but you chose not to. Rather you chose to play with your prey. Not that it would have made a difference, fate had this in store, no matter what you did. So do not contribute your arrogance to the fault of your gift."

"Why me? Why your bride? Why not just take my soul?"

Sakano/Kaanos smiled almost gently at Tohma. "Those many centuries ago when you beckoned me, I was surprised to hear my name being called across space and time. Your voice dripped with longing and despair and my realm echoed with the need of it as you spoke the forbidden words and called my name. I wondered who would have such audacity to call the King of Demons. What mortal fool could have such need that he would go to that length? I looked and saw you. Fair and foul in the moonlight--beautiful face, smooth porcelain skin, and lovely locks of pale hair like spun sunlight. Even the King of Demons gets lonely and your beauty and your delicious desperation touched even my black heart. They drew me forth like a dark aphrodisiac and I realized that I loved you. So I came to you to do your bidding, because of my love for you."

"Even then I laid my trap for you. I could not bring you to me forcefully, as is decreed in the Rules of Everything. I can only have you come to me willingly. So I gave you what you wanted, knowing that one day, you would make a mistake and that all I had to do was wait for that day and then I could collect you accordingly and you would be mine. What is a century or five or six to a being that is eternal?"

Sakano stroked Tohma's hair with a blackened claw. "I kept guard on time for you," he said softly, pulling out his pocket watch. "I guarded each second, each moment, each day, each year jealously, waiting for the day you would be mine." He closed the watch. "That day is here, My Love. And it's about time."

"But, but…"

Sakano/Kaanos silenced Tohma with a look. "I grow weary. Fear not, we have forever to talk. For now, all our deals must come undone. Be silent and watch."

Tohma screamed out loud. "I will find a way, Eiri! This is not the end! I will find a way to bind you to me again! Even if I have to climb through the depths of hell, I will find a way to keep you near me, now, or centuries from now!"

"And I too will be there," said Sakano/Kaanos. "Who knows what fate has in store for you that even I cannot disobey. But for now, you are mine. Sleep, sleep."

Tohma immediately went limp.

Sakano/Kaanos waved his hand again and the rain and the wind and the storm halted in its tracks. The sudden cessation of weather left an abrupt silence heavily in the air.

Eiri looked around him. Sparkling drops of water hung suspended in the air all around him like dark crystals. He reached out and touched one to watch it shatter and fall across his finger.

Slowly the storm began to move backwards.

The water rained upwards.

The wind inhaled backwards to the sky.

And the east to west rolling clouds reversed their march and went from west to east.

Eiri looked over. Shuichi's body shivered and rolled over face first. It then did a backwards tumble to stand on its feet. His eyes opened.

"Oh my God!" said Eiri. He ran to Shuichi and looked down at him, unsure he was seeing what he was seeing.

Shuichi looked up at him, confused. "What happened? Did I fall over, Eiri?"

Eiri laughed out loud in disbelief, then he leaned down and kissed Shuichi. Kissed him long. Kissed him deeply. Kissed him in front of Tohma.

Shuichi gasped. "Eiri! You laughed! You kissed me! What's…"

Suddenly he remembered. His eyes flew down to his chest. The dagger was no longer there. There wasn't even a tear in the fabric of his shirt to mark the occasion! He felt himself frantically looking for a scar or a wound or something that told him it hadn't all been his imagination.

"I was DEAD!" Shuichi looked over at Tohma. He was lying on the ground with the dagger shuddering in his chest, protruding from the area where his heart should have been. Hovering over him was…Mr. Sakano?

Sakano had grown taller and from behind his glasses two glowing red coal-like eyes looked back at him. He held Tohma in long arms that ended in black talon like claws.

Shu took a step backwards and grabbed Eiri's hand.

"We have to get the others and get out…of…here…" His voice trailed off as he noticed the backwards elements. The storm that he had remembered raging over him as he died, was now storming in reverse. Raindrops left the ground and jet back up to the sky and the thunder pealed and crackled before the lightning jagged across the heavens. And it was speeding up. Soon the storm stopped altogether and the day as it had happened progressed around Eiri and himself…in reverse.

He saw himself with Sakano and Tohma standing beside the west rose line, looking at the tree. Their transparent forms moved jerkily with astonishing speed as if he were watching a life sized puppet show. They rapidly got back on their horses—backward and rode off backward--back toward the southern rose line and out of sight.

All around him leaves jumped back to their branches and the silent, misty figures of people and animals and insects went about their daily lives in reverse at incredible speeds. Overhead, the sun flew across the sky, turning dawn into night and back again, driving the moon, stars and clouds before it. And the pace continued to quicken.

"There are no others, anymore," came Sakano's deep, booming voice. He, Tohma, Eiri and Shuichi were the only solid consistencies in the world of blurred light and fleeing ghosts around them.

Shu grabbed Eiri's hand. Eiri grabbed back. His flesh was warm. "What do you mean? Where are Ryu and Hiro and Tatsuha? What have you done to them?"

"They have gone back to the ether of non-existence to await the outcome of this halting of time. This is the end of the chapter for this continuum."

Shuichi didn't know what a continuum was, but he clearly got the point that his friends were no longer with them.

"Bring them back!" he cried. "Bring back Ryu and Tatsuha and Hiro so they can all go home! What's happening here?"

Sakano tightened his grip on Tohma. "You were the true west rose line, Shuichi Shindou—a direct descendant from the Orishii, the Rose Family that settled in the west after being driven out of the east by the Seguchi. What you see happening around you is the result of all the history, all that was wrought by the hand of Seguchi coming undone. This thread of time is unraveling as the pact is made null and void. The instant your last breath left your body, the instant Tohma breached or rather, crossed, the contract he wrought with you, this space and everything you see came to a close."

Tohma looked at him with glazed eyes, while Sakano continued. "Seguchi changed the course of history when he made the pact. All that came about as a result of that, whether they be small or large like the meeting of someone's parents which resulted in a child named Hiroshi Nakano, or even the choosing of an emperor, must now reverse and go the course they were meant to go without the interference or influence of the pact Tohma Seguchi made."

Shuichi thought about that. "You mean, there will never be a Hiroshi Nakano, or a Ryuichi Sakuma?" He looked up at Eiri. "Or an Eiri Uesugi?"

All about them the seasons changed in rapid succession with a high pitched humming wail. It was if they were caught in the midst of a whirlwind of color as autumn's reds and golds turned to summer's blues and then on to spring's greens and then on to winter's whites and back through again.

"There will always be an Eiri Uesugi or a Shuichi Shindou or even a Tohma Seguchi, though they may not look the same, or have the same name. Faces, bodies, names and even genders come and go and come back again, however the soul remains constant and true. Whatever the outcome, you will exist in whatever form was meant for you at that time. And as you go through the cycle of rebirth, whatever circumstances you face, lessons you learn or hardships that scar you, will be carried forth, ultimately shaping the essence of each individual. Even what has happened here will have an effect on you, though you will not remember it."

"That is what Tohma failed to realize from the beginning. I may stay the hand of time for a short while, but it is never eternal. It is not for even a Demon King such as I, to wield power like that. Souls, like myself, are immortal and they are what they are. Whatever is to be will be, with or without outside influence, even if it is delayed by a pact or two along the way."

Sakano's eyes blazed forth in the strobing light of night and day and day and night.

"Fate, life, love, they will not be denied. They will find a way. Even if they move in increments so slow, over so many centuries, no eye can see it, until it is too late and events have been set in place to rectify that which should have been and yet did not pass. Eiri was never meant for Tohma. Tohma knew that, he just did not want to see it. The minute he sought to change fate, fate began setting motions in place to change things back."

The fleeing of time around them continued.

"What of us?" cried Shuichi. "I just found Eiri. I don't want to lose him now. Will I find him again? Will I ever be ME again?"

It wasn't right. To have come so far and to have gone through so much only to lose again! Shuichi was near tears. He didn't want to think he'd never see his friends again—see Ryu's sweet smile, hear Hiro's laughter, see Tatsuha hug his love.

"It's not fair!" he cried.

Sakano laughed. "What IS fair? What will be will be. The events of individual spans of life may not be set, but the great adventure of your destiny cannot be denied. If your love is meant to be, then it will. If you are meant to be surrounded by the people you call friends, then you will find a way to be with them, no matter the time, no matter the place."

Sakano looked up. Finally the heavens began to slow. The world began to drag on its axis. Time became almost tangible again.

"We return to the point of diversion. Your time is near an end on this plane. Speak your last as you stand now."

Shuichi didn't understand all of what was going on. He didn't want it to end this way. He didn't want to let go of Eiri.

Eiri saw the panic and despair in Shuichi's eyes and pulled him close. He didn't understand all of what had been said either, but one thing he did know was that this was not the end.

"Don't cry, Shuichi," he said softly. He folded himself around Shu and comforted him.

"We defeated time and consequence over and over again in the past. Every time Tohma sought to keep us apart, we found a way to be together, whether we remember it or not. It wasn't conscious effort on our part, but the gravitation of our souls. We are joined, you and I and will find each other throughout whatever time this world gives us."

He tilted Shuichi's head up. Big violet eyes glassed over and teared.

"I will find you."

"Find me, Eiri."

_The spinning sky slowed and stopped._

"Don't forget me, Eiri."

"I won't."

_The rolling earth came to stand still._

"Don't let go of me, Shuichi."

"Never."

_The ticking of time slowed and evened._

"Remember me, Eiri."

"I'll remember you, Shuichi."

Shuichi looked down. His hands were growing transparent.

"Oh! I love you Eiri!" His voice was echoing.

Eiri reached to wipe a tear and found that his own hand looked like glass. He could see Shuichi through it. His hand passed right through Shuichi's face and in the next instant, the place where Shuichi had been standing.

Eiri looked at the empty space and closed his eyes, picturing Shu in his mind.

"Shuichi…Shuichi…I…"

And he was gone.

* * *

"…love you Junishi" He reached for his lover, his hands beckoning Junishi in the darkness. Junishi went. Ayari pulled him close and tilted his head upward for a kiss…

The instant their lips met, the night went dark like a snuffed out candle and like a train switching tracks, the world lurched sharply, joining itself where it would have been in the first place had the divergence of the pact never occurred.

When the world lit up once more, Ayari Tsuasagi and Junishi Orishii stood beneath the full moon, under the canopy of a starry night sky, in the midst of a garden of roses kissing deeply.

Behind them, a tall winged creature of smoke and ash held the limp body of Tohma Seguchi in its arms. It held in one of its clawed hands a small, dark red rectangular box with gold markings on its top and around its sides. The top clicked open and from the body it held, a spark of red ejected itself from the space where a dagger protruded in its chest. The dagger shimmered and turned to ash as the tiny, glowing ball of light fluttered through the air and settled itself inside the box. The lid snicked firmly shut and instantly the body which had lain comatose, opened its eyes. They were large and dark and full of hazy cloudiness.

"Who do you love?" asked the Demon King Kaanos of his beloved new bride.

Tohma smiled. "I love you."

"How much do you love me?"

"With all my heart," came the honest reply.

"Shall we go home, my pet?"

"Yes."

The Demon King Kaanos smiled. "As you wish."

He opened his massive, smoking wings and he and Tohma erupted into a whirlwind of flame and ash, causing a great wind to sweep through the garden. So strong it was that it tore hundreds of petals loose from the roses that grew there and hurled them through the air, leaving them to flutter down like white, red and gold fragrant rain on the two soul mates that stood kissing beside a tree with no rope and not a single pink rose in sight.

"It's about time."

* * *

**Epilogue:**

It was a concert hall--a large, ornately decorated affair with murals of angels and heavenly hosts painted upon the ceiling. Gilded chandeliers and candelabras lit the interior with hundreds of white candles, casting soft, glowing light throughout, illuminating the well-dressed audience that was seated and awaiting the performance.

The opening strains of music began to play and the audience quieted down as the heavy blue stage curtains were drawn open for the encore.

Three beautiful young men and a lovely young lady were on stage. Within the circle of a bright spotlight, the tall red head played an acoustic guitar, a small dark haired young lady sat at a grand piano playing and center stage stood the last two men, one brown haired, one pink. They lifted their heads and sang in sweet, voices a happy song of love and longing; their emotional vocals punctuated by the gentle swaying of their bodies and their hands which clasped and curled.

Behind them, the stage scenery was that of a bustling city at night, filled with opulent carriages and well-heeled couples strolling down lantern lit streets arm in arm.

Seated in the front row of the audience, in direct line of sight of the singers, was a tall blonde man with hazel colored eyes and in the seat to his right, a younger raven-haired man with dark eyes who looked so similar to the blonde, that he could pass for nothing less than his brother. To the dark haired man's right sat a woman with a bright happy smile and long brunette hair that peeked in long strands from the fashionable hat she wore.

The quartet finished their song and the audience sprang to its feet, clapping and whistling and cheering, their shining faces reflecting their overwhelming enjoyment of the show.

The blue curtain closed and the group walked off stage.

"You were a hit!" The group's tall blonde manager strode forth excitedly, his intense blue eyes shining with pride.

"You really think so," asked the pink haired singer.

"Are you kidding?" answered the manager, "after three encores they're still clamoring for more." He looked around quickly, whipping his long ponytail to and fro. "We'd better get you guys to your coach. There's no telling how many rabid admirers will be laying in wait this evening."

He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I think I'd better write a security clause into your contract. The fans are getting out of hand these days."

The group made their way to the front of the theater.

"Wait here, I'll have the coach brought around," their manager told them.

As the rest of the group stood waiting, a voice came from behind them.

"Mr. Ryuichi Sakama?" They turned. Behind them stood the tall dark haired young man, smiling widely at them. "These are for you." He held forth a bunch of long stemmed red roses.

Ryu smiled brightly and took them. "Thank you! I love them, Mr.?" he groped for a name.

"Tatsuho. Tatsuho Uesasgi. I'm a huge fan and I've dreamed of meeting you for ages!" He gently pulled Ryu to him. Ryu smiled up at him and gazed into his lovely dark eyes.

"I like you. I can tell we're going to be good friends. Can I call you Tats-chan or Ta-kun or Ho for short?"

Tatsuho frowned. "I don't know about that last one. For reasons I don't understand, Ho sounds a bit tawdry to me." He pulled Ryu close.

"Never mind, call me whatever you want, as long as I can call you my own."

"Ok, Ta-kun." He leaned in for a kiss and stopped. "It feels like I know you. Have we met before?"

"Maybe we met in our dreams," said Tatsuho. "And if this is a dream right now, let's never wake up."

The pink haired singer smiled at them longingly and went back to studying the sheet of music he had in his hand. If only something like that would happen to him.

Suddenly a strong gust of wind whipped down the street and ripped the sheet from his hand.

"Oh no!" He chased after it. Abruptly he screeched to a halt and stopped short. There, just a few feet away was a man, a tall blonde man, holding the sheet in his hand. He was reading it.

"This yours?" he asked with a pull on the hand rolled cigarette he was smoking.

"Yes, thank you for saving it for me, Mr.?" He too groped for a name.

"Eiri, Eiri Uesagi." Eiri looked at him and frowned, shining two piercing hazel eyes full of disgust on him.

"You wrote this?"

"Uhh, yes. My name is Shuichi Shindo and I'm a singer." He reached for the sheet. Eiri snatched it back.

"You might be a singer, but you're no songwriter. This is awful. 'Take me for the rose I am, cover me in petals of red?'" Eiri let the paper go and the wind instantly reclaimed it, blowing it down the street.

"HEY! That was mine! Go get that back!" Shu yelled.

"I'm doing you a favor, you've got absolutely no talent in this respect. Thank me and go home."

The two began a loud, raucous argument, right there in the street.

K, their manager returned to the group in front of the theater and watched the ugly spectacle with distaste.

"What the hell happened here?"

"Looks like my brother just fell in love," Tatsuho said, still holding Ryu.

"Not again!" Mikami Uesagi said walking over to join them. She pulled her fashionable hat down over her eyes and hid them in embarrassment. "Our brother is going to be the shame of us all!"

"Here, hold this, Hiro." K shucked off his overcoat and handed it to the red head, then drew a huge sword from his side and advanced on the warring couple.

"Hey, what'd I miss?" Sugura asked joining them.

"The usual. Shuichi fell in love and drove somebody crazy all in the space of five minutes," Hiro replied.

Sugura shook her head and sighed. "Oh, God!" She threw her hands in the air.

"Well, that's it. I might as well quit." She gathered her sheet music and began to walk away. "He'll never come to practice now…"

A sword suddenly swiped the air in front of her. K appeared out of nowhere dragging a still yelling Shuichi behind him. Eiri followed them, scowling all the way.

"I know you're not trying to leave us, Sugura?" he asked ominously.

Sugura looked at the pointed blade, her elfin face and dark eyes wide with fear. "Haven't you ever heard of respecting the will of the artist?"

K laughed out loud with evil glee. "Hell no!"

"Go get my lyrics!" yelled Shuichi.

"No, you damn brat!"

"Don't just stand there, Hiro, help me!"

Hiro sighed. "God, is this what the future is going to bring?"

If Hiro could have seen what it was he that wondered at that moment he would have seen flashes—images of frozen time throughout the centuries to come, that like a looking glass of prescience, would reflect the love they continued to hold for one another as true soul mates do…

**_FLASH:_**Sword Master K instructing apprentice Hiro in the art of swordplay at dawn in an ornate courtyard by a fountain. Each man holds a sword--Hiro's up high as if he's about to strike and K's down low as if he's about to swing up to block. Hiro's loose day shirt has been sliced open and both men have smiles on their faces…

**_FLASH:_** Dark haired ronin Airi and dusty pink haired Suuichi clinging to him on the back of a horse with his long, beautiful white robes and tassled belt fluttering out behind them. They are racing hell bent for leather through a misty bamboo forest at night. There are several samurai in close pursuit, all of them with drawn swords that gleam wickedly in the pale light of the full moon and starry night sky above them…

**_FLASH:_**The Emperor's court during the Heian period. A large open space before the high gilded throne is dominated by a beautiful, small, pink haired man who is entertaining the court with a graceful dance. The man is wearing an elaborate many layered kimono of pure sky blue silk that has pink roses hand painted down the long flowing train of his robes. He has large dark eyes that leap out of the porcelain white makeup that covers his face and accents his ruby red lips. To the side, a tall red head and a small dark haired young man accompany the dancing courtesan with a koto and a shamisen. To the right of the Emperor the tall blonde, ponytailed Commander of the Guard watches the red head with great interest and in the shadows at the back of the room a chestnut haired nobleman with piercing gold eyes watches the courtesan, hypnotized by what he sees…

_**FLASH:**_Highway bandits Tatshua and his sister Mika robbing an ornate coach on a starry night. Mika is holding the coachman at sword point demanding money and other precious cargo. She is dressed like a man and has her long, light brown hair swept up into a high ponytail. There is nothing about her stance that suggests she's anything but serious. Tatshua, at the side of the coach has pulled back the window's curtain with the tip of his sword. The dark scarf covering his lower face does nothing to hide the shock, surprise and obvious arousal at seeing lovely Ryu staring back at him from the inside of the coach with frightened but beautiful, crystal clear blue eyes.

**_FLASH:_** Two tall military men wearing Japanese WWII uniforms sit on tatami mats in a large tea house room surrounded by shoji screens that have been painted with scenes of cranes, heron and other graceful birds wading in a pool near a mountain. Two beautiful geisha, one with crystal clear blue eyes and one with seductive eyes of dark violet, sit before the men in front of an open screen that reveals a rose garden courtyard bathed in the glow of early evening. The geisha are offering their clients two smalls bowls of tea for their tea ceremony, which the men, one with dark hair and one with light brown, accept smiling…

**_FLASH:_** Shuichi Shindou, running through the park at night, is startled and flustered as he finds his wind blown lyrics captured in the hands of a mysterious and shadowy blonde man who is smoking a cigarette. Behind them the Tokyo cityscape lights up the night sky…

_**FLASH:**_Touma Seguchi, president of NG Records, sits behind a massive and elaborate desk in his corner office. He is on the phone and obviously in the midst of a wheeling, dealing conversation. Behind him the windowed wall reveals an impressive view of the Tokyo city line below him. And to his right, stands Mr. Sakano. Impeccably dressed, he smiles directly at the camera as he rests one arm across the back of Touma's high back leather chair. The other he holds up for the camera, showing off the large, gleaming gold watch strapped to his wrist…

**_FLASH: _**Suguru Fujisaki, Japanese teen sensation and teen magazine "Super Cutie Honey Boy" 'Hottie of the Year,' is giving a command performance before the royal family at the palace. He's playing an exquisite grand piano as he sits alone on a darkened stage, lit only by a bright spotlight. The stage backdrop is that of a scene of Mount Fuji, snow capped and majestic against a dark blue winter sky. Around his feet are several dozen Bordeaux red, gilded coin gold and astonishingly white roses that have been thrown there by his numerous, well-dressed admirers that sit in the front row, in his direct line of sight. The flowers were specially flown in for his performance from a small estate in the east that is famed far and wide for their mastery of breeding roses of unusual color…

**_FLASH:_**The gang years later at a dinner party as they pose for a roving photographer.

Eiri Uesugi, older, wiser and just a bit more relaxed, is actually smiling. He's still handsome, but in a quiet, more mature way. His short-cropped blonde hair is showing strands of gray here and there. His sexy mouth, which actually has laugh lines etched around it, is curled up in a genuine smile as he looks down at Shuichi Shindou who's gone from boyish beauty to manly grace. Calm and collected, he smiles up at Eiri and snuggles close, his short pink locks emphasizing his large dark eyes.

Beside them, Tatsuha Uesugi and Ryuichi Sakuma sit curled around each other. Tatsuha looks like an exact photo negative copy of Eiri when he was that age except Tatsuha, handsome and beguiling with a mischievous crooked smile, has none of the weight that Eiri carried around for so long. His face is full of love as he pulls Ryu in close for a kiss. Ryu is older but still has a youthful charm about him. His eyes are sparkling and he is laughing loudly and shoving Kumagoro who's now missing an eye and an ear in between them, pretending to struggle against Tatsuha's advances.

Suguru Fujisaki sits next to them. He's grown into a handsome man and still retains his elfin features. His hair has grown longer, which he's wearing in a ponytail. He's also grown taller as evidenced by the fact that he's smiling down at his date, a beautiful model type, with perfect skin. He sits relaxed and enjoying himself, his arm wrapped around his date, a single diamond stud twinkling from his right ear.

Finally, beside them, sit Hiroshi Nakano and K. K, still with the very long locks, has his hair free from its ponytail. It flows down silkily over his shoulders, perfectly accenting his older, more mature face. An older elegance graces him as he leans in with his arm around Hiro. He is pushing Hiro's long bangs out of his eyes. The rest of Hiro's hair is shorter and styled in a very GQ, ear length cut. Hiro is still easy on the eyes and very much in love which is obvious from the way he is leaning his head on K's shoulder and smiling directly at the camera.

The camera flashes and preserves them happy and together for eternity in that perfect instance of time…

**_FLASH:_** A busy metropolis street about midday. The skyscrapers that line the street are as tall as the eye can see and are primarily made of chrome and smoke colored tinted glass. The sky can hardly be seen because there are so many of them piled so closely together. All around, holographic images of advertisements and up to the minute news and stock market tickers noisily play with video and sound. On the street, sleek hover cars and buses glide along the wide avenue. The crowded sidewalk is filled and bustling with people going about their daily activities. They wear soft pastel colored clothing that consists of clean simple lines and look vaguely like traditional Japanese garments with long flowing sleeves and high mandarin collars. In the midst of the chaos, a stunning tall honey blonde young man with piercing amber colored eyes and a pretty, shorter pink haired young man with large violet eyes, walk hand in hand, down the street. They wear plain gold wedding bands and are dressed in the same manner as everyone else. The one thing that makes them stand out among all the people that surround them, including the boringly normal, commonplace sight of other openly (and legally sanctioned!) same sex couples, is the fact that they are arguing…loudly…

Time and time again, they would always find each other, be near each other and love each other. And long after the sun grew cold and the stars ceased to shine, their souls would continue to gravitate toward one another, lighting the way for what ever would come next, which, following the end is usually a new beginning.

And so it is there we both end our tale with the timeless phrase "And they lived happily ever after…" and begin it anew with "Once upon a time…"

* * *

Eiri stopped and reviewed what he'd just written. He was tired. His fingers were cramped from hours of typing and his ass hurt from hours of sitting. His face also hurt from smiling—something his face certainly wasn't used to doing. Smiling because he was so pleased with the way his latest novel had turned out. He'd have to change the names of course, but the rest would remain the same. Would his publisher like it? Probably not, but he didn't give a rat's ass. He loved it. Maybe if his publisher didn't want this new novel, he'd submit it as a fanfic...

He laughed out loud! Not bloody likely!

He saved his story and shut the notebook, taking care to order his notes and straighten his desk before he left the room.

Padding carefully down the hall to the bedroom, he stopped at the door to discover the light still on.

What was Shuichi still doing up at this hour?

He opened the door quietly and saw his small lover curled up on what he righteously considered his side of the bed. A small pink ball, Shuichi was at rest, his body at ease and his face at peace as he slept.

Yuki stood for a second watching the soft rise and fall of Shu's chest. Then he did it again, pulling the already sore, atrophied muscles around his mouth upward and outward. He smiled.

"Goodnight, Junishi," he said softly.

Then he turned out the light.

* * *

**End Chapter 9: The After, the Beginning and the After the Beginning.**

**End: The Rose Line**

**A/N:** The mention of submitting the story as a fanfic is a reference to my first FFNet story, FanFic.

Thank you so very much for reading my story! This was written as a challenge to myself and I'm proud that I saw it through to the end. This is a slightly different version from the original, which is over on AFF net—for obvious reasons. There is a short follow up story dealing with Sword Master K and apprentice Hiro that I am considering adapting for FFNet, but am not sure. Adapting is hard business and I'm not sure I got it quite right with this story. Hopefully I didn't do too badly and didn't make too many mistakes. I really hope you had as good a time reading it as I did writing it. Again, thank you for your time.


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